


Sexy Pool Boy

by spacedust719



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, I am really bad a tagging stuff, Implied Smut, Single Dad AU, Summer Romance, cute kid, famous singer reader, missing parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-05-29 13:29:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19401283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacedust719/pseuds/spacedust719
Summary: The reader is a famous pop singer who’s ex boyfriend was caught very publicly cheating on her. She goes back to her hometown to refocus and relax.The house she is renting has a man that comes by and attends to the pool and other various things around the house.That man, Joe Mazzello has a son that starts coming by the house as well.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to do an original character as the reader but it wasn’t working for me. In my head the original character for her singing career went by her first name and middle name.
> 
> This is another edition of me not knowing what to name a story. Its terrible but I just wanted to post it and couldn’t think of anything else

Exiled. That’s what you currently were. Sure it was self imposed, but you were still exiled from your normal life. Normal being a relative term. Your life hadn’t really resembled anything normal for close to a decade. Although, your abnormal life had been even crazier than your normal the last few years. The last 2 albums you released blew up. Your tours were held in arenas now. While your career was at its peak, your personal life went the opposite direction. Two months ago you were getting ready to walk on stage to your first of 5 sold out nights in New York when your assistant said she needed to tell you about a news story that just broke. Your boyfriend of two years phone had been hacked. That wasn’t new information because pictures from your private vacation had been posted online. The horrified look on her face indicated there was more to the story now. You asked her how much you didn’t want to hear what she had to say. She couldn’t even answer. You made her wait till you were done with the show. You figured you wouldn’t be able to perform for the 40,000 some fans who had spent hard earned money on their tickets if she told you. That assumption was incredibly correct. Reminders of that were staring at you on the magazine rack as you waited to check out at the grocery store in the midwestern town you grew up in.

Y/N cheated on AGAIN!!! Exclusive details inside 

Why can’t Y/N keep a man: an in depth look 

Ex BF already spotted out with former mistress house shopping 

The pictures that brought down a pop queen’s empire 

Uptight, controlling, prude? How about all the above when describing Y/N 

All the dirty deeds Y/N would not do 

Where is Y/N now? 

You tried not to look at the magazines. Usually the tabloids were incredibly off base. If you had been pregnant as many times as they reported, you could have your own reality TV show. Sadly this time, they were almost all true. The only somewhat incorrect one was about the dirty deeds you wouldn’t do. You ex never even asked you if you would be interested in any of the activities mentioned in his leaked text messages. Though sexts is a more accurate description. Or the ones that didn’t talk shit about you could be described as sexts. Also, your “empire” was fine. Your sales increased some after the news even.

Someone was calling your name. Thinking to yourself, _FUUUUCKKK it’s been 2 days and people already know I’m here. I knew I should have had groceries delivered._ Taking a deep breathe and readying yourself to plaster on a smile, you turn around.

“Y/N?”

It’s your high school choir teacher. Your smile is more genuine than you expected it to be. “Mrs. Colver! Hi!”

She looks equally happy to see you. “I thought that was you. How are you, dear?”

You give her a one shoulder shrug, “I’m well. How are you?”

“Oh, just enjoying retired life.” She looks off to the side. You turn to see what she’s looking at. It’s the magazines. “You were never uptight. Just guarded around strangers. Gosh once I got to know you, you wouldn’t shut up!”

You laugh at how accurate her assessment is.

She places a hand gently on your forearm. “I am really proud of you. Both how well you’ve done and the person you seem to be now. If you need anything, you can get ahold of me.” She gets out a pen and write down her phone number for you. She was your favorite teacher you ever had and had been the one to convince you to try having a career as a singer.

You give her a tight hug, “Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me.”

You chat with her for a little while until it’s your turn at the register. She continues on her way to get groceries after giving you another hug. You mentally remind yourself to give her a call. Maybe you can have her over for dinner some night. The cashier ringing you up seems to be looking back and forth between you and the tabloids but he never says anything. You’re not wearing any makeup and your hair is in a messy bun. Despite this being your hometown, he seems to have just enough doubt or manners to not ask if those magazines are about you. A regular fan encounter wouldn’t bother you. The addition of you being recognized next to those trashy periodicals is enough to make you stop at the liquor store for wine on your way home.

++++++++

The third day you are back home you are woken up by a rather loud noise outside your window. You grumble and turn over onto your stomach. This doesn’t end up being that comfortable. It also does nothing for the amount of light in your bedroom or the noise level outside. _I really should not have drank that whole bottle of wine last night._ You get out of bed to investigate the noise. You’re pretty sure its a lawnmower. The owner of the house you are renting told you there would be someone to take care of the lawn, pool, and other various projects to get the house ready for him to sell this fall. You grab your robe. Your current outfit of very short shorts and a thin tank top leave little to the imagination.

You instantly squint when you open the front door. You take a few steps outside and see the man mowing the lawn. _Man, is he hot!_ He stops the lawn mower when he sees you. He starts walking towards you. You shield your eyes from the bright early morning sun.

He has a very friendly voice, “Your facial expression tells me I woke you up. Sorry about that. Hi, I’m Joe.” He extends a hand to you.

“Y/N. It’s cool. I knew someone would be by to do this. I just didn't know what day. Or how early.” You shake his hand with the hand that had been shielding your eyes.

Joe chuckled lightly, “Sorry. My son gets out of day camp at 3:30. I like to be done in time to pick up him up. It’s just the two of us.”

You hugged your robe tighter around you, “it’s really no problem at all. Now I know. Do you need anything? Water?”

Joe pointed to his truck with this thumb, “I have a cooler in my truck. Thanks though.”

“I’ll let you get on with it. Do you have a cash or check preference?”

“Cash please.”

You smile, “Just knock when you’re done or if you need anything. I’ll have the cash ready.”

Joe gives you a nod of acknowledgement and goes back to mowing.

++++++++

“I think I am just realizing how different our lives are.”

You rolled your head over to look at your best friend Elisa sitting in the lounge chair next to you out at the pool. She came over with her 3 kids who were currently splashing around in the pool.

“What do you mean? We are literally doing the same thing right now.”

She laughed lightly, “Yes, but I have three kids and you have a hot pool boy.” You noticed she seemed to be looking past her kids in the pool to the other side of the water where Joe was checking various chemical levels.

You laughed, “it’s not THAT kind of sexy pool boy thing.”

“PLEASE!” You shushed her. She spoke at a whisper, “Have you seen him? He’s practically screaming “I’m Y/N’s type”.”

“He IS nice to look at. I just mean I’m not doing anything about it.”

Elisa was still whispering but she leaned closer to you, “could you please? Then tell me about it? I have 3 kids. It’s really just in and out before bed maybe once a month for me. I need to live vicariously.”

You covered your mouth with a hand so you didn’t laugh loudly. You knew Elisa’s kids would ask what was so funny.

“I’m taking a break from men. It’s part of my break from “Y/N Y/M/N”. I am just going to be Y/N Y/L/N for a while. Then I can clear my head and get back to writing songs that aren’t just me yelling FUCK for 3 and a half minutes to very angry music. That’s basically all that comes to mind right now when I think about writing a song.”

She laughed, “I’m sure your loyal fans would stick with you through a death metal stage.”

You clutch your hand over your heart, “that’s so sweet! I do like wearing black.”

Elisa placed her hand on the arm rest of your chair, “I am just going to say again that that man is totally Y/N Y/L/N’s type.”

You are very thankful for the sunglasses Elisa and you are both wearing right now. They should keep Joe from noticing that he’s being objectified. You feel guilty about that. Even more so because he has seemed very nice during every interaction you’ve had with him. He was wearing a shirt with a really lame pun on it the other day making you think he’s probably goofy. You refrain from telling Elisa this. It would just add to her evidence that Joe is completely your type.

++++++++

  
  


Insomnia has been your constant bedfellow recently. It probably didn’t help you had started taking naps out by the pool almost every afternoon. Because of this, you are wide awake to see your text message alert light up the phone screen at 6 am. Joe was texting you to let you know he might be late. His babysitter cancelled in the middle of the night. He was working on getting another. Almost everyday Elisa had been bringing her kids over to swim and that was the plan for today. You replied to Joe that other kids would be here so he was welcome to bring his son, that Elisa and you would watch him. His response was an all caps thank you and assurances that his son Joey was a good kid.

A few hours later, the 4 kids have been splashing around for a while. Elisa’s son and Joey are both 5 years old. The way they are getting along, you’d think they’d been friends forever. Mason, Elisa’s son, comes up to her and asks for some water. She grabs a bottle out of her bag. Joey stood timidly behind Mason, looking at you.

You peaked around Mason, “Joey, would you like some water?”

He smiled brightly, “yes, please.”

You have him follow you into the house. As you approach the cabinets, you look over your shoulder at Joey, “You can drink from a regular cup, right?”

Joey just looks up at you, “I’m 5.”

You snicker, “Right, sorry!” You get him a glass of water. “Do you want some string cheese or grapes?”

His eyes light up, “Yes, please. May I have string cheese please?”

You grab a package for Joey and one for yourself. You both sit at the counter eating. Joey is answering your questions about his school and friends but not making eye contact. You turn to see what he’s looking at. He’s looking at the piano.

“You can go play it if you want.” You laugh loudly when Joey sticks the remainder of his string cheese in his mouth and goes over to the piano. As you are about to walk over to the piano as well, you look outside and make eye contact with Joe. He looks panicked. You point to where Joey is standing. Relief floods Joe’s face.

You stand behind Joey as he just kind of brushes over the keys. He looks hesitant to actually press them. You sit down on the edge of the bench.

“Hey Joey, I bet I can teach you the first song I ever learned in just a few minutes.”

He sits next to you. His little face is skeptical, “a few minutes?”

You nod. “Yes. If I’m wrong. I’ll let you push me into the pool.” The kids had been asking Elisa and you if they could push you in all morning.

Joey looks excited now. “Ok!”

You hold up your right hand and give him a very serious look. “You ready.” He nods vigorously. “Make a fist. Then do this.” You roll your first heavily on the keys, then tap twice with your pinky before rolling your fist the other direction and tapping twice with the knuckle of your thumb.

Joey cracks up, “that’s not a song!”

You laugh back, “it is too a song! I didn’t say it was going to be a good song!”

He rolls his eyes and then plays the “song” just like you did. He laughs again then asks, “Can you teach me something real?”

You teach him a little bit, showing him where middle C is and the difference between the white and black keys. You teach him a scale that he picks up on really quickly. You decide to have him play something with you. You tell him what a chord is.

“Can you play that chord on these 3 keys?” You point to some right in front of him. He does it. “Great! Now, I am going to count to 4. When I say 4, play the notes and hold them down. Lift your fingers when I say 1 again. Play when I say 4 again. Got it?”

You start counting and he follows your instructions perfectly. On the third repetition, you start playing the right hand part of one of your songs since you had taught Joey the left hand part. Joey is beaming when he looks up at you. He hugs your waist tightly. You hug him back. He then lets you know he’s going to go swim some more now.

You call after him, “Wait Joey! You probably need more sunscreen.” You turn around and see that Joe has been watching in the doorway into the kitchen from outside. Joe grabs the sunscreen of the counter and applies it to his son while Joey drinks the rest of his water. You both watch Joey run back out to the pool.

Joe turns to you, “You’ve now done more mothering of him than his mom.” Joe’s eyes widen. He didn’t really mean to share that personal of information with his sort of boss. 

You reach out to touch Joe’s arm empathetically, but stop yourself right before you make contact. Joe watches your hand rise and fall.

When he looks up at you, you say “you can bring him with you whenever you need. He can swim. I can show him how to play the piano. He can hang out. It’s really ok. I don’t mind at all.”

Joe smiles at you, “I really appreciate that. If I ever need to, I’ll make sure to let you know before. I should get back to work.”

You point to the fridge, “do you want some string cheese too?”

Joe laughs, “I’m good. Thanks.”

You go back outside, tossing your sunglasses onto your chair. You stand at the edge of the pool.

“Hey Joey!” He turns and looks at you. “Since I didn’t teach you a real song. You can push me in.” You are shocked at how fast Joey’s little legs carry him out of the pool and by your side. Joe is watching from the side yard. You have to lean because Joey doesn’t actually push you hard enough. You wave at Joe as you fall into the pool.

++++++++

A few days after Joe brought Joey over with him, you spot him planting some bushes in the back of the yard by the fence. It was incredibly hot when you ran to the store earlier so you take some ice water out to Joe.

He looks incredibly grateful when you approach. He starts to reach for the water, “wait, did you bring this for me or are you just coming to say hi.”

You laugh really hard, “both. This is for you.” You hand him the glass and he thanks you for it. “That would be such a dick move if I came out and drank ice water in front of you.”

Joe swallowed his water, “yeah, it kind of would be. I don’t actually think you’d do that. I just didn’t want to assume it was for me.”

“Where’s Joey today?”

“My neighbor is watching him. She’s kind of adopted us as her grandchild and great-grandchild.”

“Oh okay. Do you want me to get you some more water?”

Joe’s eyebrows pinched together, “what’s wrong? You sound sad.”

You took a deep breath, “I went to the music store to get sheet music yesterday. I saw a book for beginners piano. I am really sorry if this is overstepping. I bought it. I thought maybe if he came with you, he could play while you worked.”

You couldn’t quite place Joe’s facial expression. You were really worried for the few seconds before Joe smiled. “Joey would really like that. If you really don’t mind, I’ll bring him with me next time. I’ve been meaning to get him into lessons. The lessons times just never really work out.”

You scrunched up your face, “I’ve never taught anyone, but I can help him follow the book.”

Joe sighed, “I really don’t want to be a bother.”

“Joe! It’s not a bother. I’m offering.” You add sarcastically, “I get what you mean though. I am really busy napping, swimming, and watching my friend’s kids swim”

Joe’s head fell back as his laughed “I’ll make sure to bring him next time.”

++++++++

The next time Joe came over, he did bring Joey. The three of you were eating lunch together. Joe and Joey both had carrots in their lips making walrus tusks while they talked. Joe handed you two stick as he raised his eyebrows at you. You put them in your lips so you all three matched now. Joey giggled when you turned to him with your new tusks.

Joey looked over at his dad, “Daaaadddd! Can I have ice cream?”

Joe smiled, “if you eat the rest of your carrots. I’ll get you some on the way home.”

You used the same slightly whiny tone, “Can I have ice cream?”

Joe playfull shook his head at you, “you also have to finish your carrots too.”

You took a bite of your carrot tusks with great flourish. “I don’t actually have any here.”

Joey finished his last carrot. “Can we go get some now? I am still hungry.” Joey pouted and held his stomach. You could tell Joe was trying not to laugh at his son.

You mouthed to Joe that you could go get some. Joe shook his head. Joey realized something was happening.

He sounded really excited, “are we going to get some?”

You bit your lip so you didn’t smile.

Joe looked patiently over at his son, “I’ll get you some on the way home. I can’t even eat ice cream! I need to finish work, but I promise I’ll get you some to ruin your dinner on the way home.”

Joey looked down at the counter sadly before asking to use your bathroom. You looked off to the side.

Joe almost sounded defensive, “what?”

You grimace, “nothing. Just all this talk of ice cream made me want some.”

Joe cackled, “you are an adult. You can go get some if you want.”

“I want it now though. I’m not going to eat it in front of Joey when you’re making him wait.”

“Do you want to take him? I’ll put his booster seat in your car. He’s not big enough for a regular seat belt yet.”

You were shocked, “you’d let me take him?” You knew from your brief conversations with Joe that Joey was his entire world, every decision Joe made was to give Joey the best life he could.

Joe nodded, “of course.”

You bit your lip and looked at the counter, unsure how to respond.

Joe called out, “Joey! Y/N wants ice cream too. She’ll take you if you still want some.”

Joey sprinted back into the kitchen, “really?!”

Joe and you both laughed. “Yeah buddy. I just need to put your seat in her car.”

Joe shut the door after buckling Joey in.

You turned towards Joe with your hand on the handle before opening your door, “How many scoops can he have? Cause if he looks at me with those big hazel eyes and asks for five, I am probably going to get him five.”

Joe doubled over with laughter. He came back up and looked at you softly with an older version of those hazel eyes, “he can have one.”

Joey had been quiet the whole ride back to the house. He hadn’t stopped chatting with you the rest of the trip. He barely stopped talking to eat his ice cream cone.

When you parked in the garage, you turned in your seat before getting out. “You okay, Joey? You’re quiet.”

“Why did that girl want to take a picture with you?”

You hesitated,”umm.. I sing for my job. Some people know who I am.”

Joey’s mouth fell open, “ARE YOU FAMOUS?”

You giggled at his shocked face, “yes. I am.”

Joey got out of the car and ran to his dad in the front yard. Joe stopped mowing. “Dad! Did you know Y/N is famous?”

Joe looked up at you. He stammered, “umm… well… yes I did know.”

Joey accepted this news quickly, “oh. I’m going to put my swimsuit on.”

Joe watched his son run into the house. He turned to you, “sorry. I didn’t know if I should say something. Or just ignore it. I’ve only seen you in a regular person role so I just treated you like a regular person…since that’s what you are. I don’t mean you’re irregular like a bad thing or anything.”

“Joe, it’s okay. I get what you mean. I appreciate it. I’m not hiding who I am.”

Joe quirked an eyebrow up at you.

You laughed lightly, “okay. I am literally hiding here for a little while. I’m telling myself I just came home.”

Joe chuckled, “I can go along with that story.”

“Thanks” You half turned to go back in the house. Joe was starting to walk off, “Wait, Joe. I don't think it will happen but people in my life had been offered money for stories or pictures of me. I am just sorry ahead of time if something comes out where I was seen with a kid or if someone took my picture with Joey that I didn’t notice. I should have thought of that before we went out. I kind of forgot I was famous today until a girl asked for a selfie with me.”

Joe tilted his head and smiled softly, “I knew you were famous when I let you take him. I’m not concerned about it. I’m just sorry if anyone invaded your privacy today.”

You shrugged, “It’s really fine. I’m used to it. Most fans, like the one today are really nice and sweet. I am going to go get my swimsuit on before Joey jumps in on his own.”

Joe’s eyes got huge, “oh god, he really will. Thanks. I’ll go out back till you get out there. Thanks again.”

A few hours later Joey and you are floating on rafts. Joey is telling you the ranking of all his favorite animals and why. As he’s explaining why he likes tigers better than lions, Joe comes to the edge of the pool. 

“Joey, it’s time to go. I gotta feed you before your bedtime.”

Joey grumbled, “I don’t want to go. Can we eat dinner with Y/N?”

Joe put his hands on his hips, “Joey, we should let her be. We’ve been here all day.”

You raised your hand to get Joe’s attention, “I actually enjoy the company.”

Joe half smiled, tapping his toes quickly, “What do you have? I can cook.”

You slid off your raft, “Stop Joe. You’ve been working all day. I will cook.” You walked over to Joey’s raft. “What do you want Joey?”

He cheered, “mac and cheese!”

You laughed at his enthusiasm, “okay, but I am also going to make broccoli.” Joey made a disgusted face at you. “Hey! It’s my favorite.”

Joey thought hard about it. “I’ll try it then”

Joe smiled over at you, “do I have to try it?”

“Yes, or you can’t have dessert.” Joe laughed

As dinner is finishing up, Joey starts to talk to you with a mouth full of mac and cheese. Joe stops him, “dude! Finish chewing before you talk.”

Joey rolled his eyes and finished chewing, “Are you coming to my birthday party? Its at the lake in a shed house.”

“Shelter house.” Joe corrected him.

“Yeah. you can come.” Joey turned to his dad, “Can Mason and his sisters come too?”

Joe nodded, “You are welcome to come. It’s tomorrow. It’s just going to be cake and playing in the lake. There is a sandbox.”

You gasp excitedly, “well! If there is a sandbox I am definitely coming! I’ll ask Elisa if her kids can come.”

++++++++

You are running a little late to Joey’s birthday party. You went to Elisa’s house to ride with her. It was between your rental and the lake. Wrangling all three of her kids into the van was a bit of an ordeal. They each had their own meltdown. When you arrive at the lake, Joey gives you a very enthusiastic wave. He yells for you to come in the water.

Joe runs up to you, already in his swimsuit. You do your best not to check him out. He stops right in front of you. “Your immediate presence has been requested in the water by the birthday boy.” He grabs your wrist, leans down, and the next thing you know he has you thrown over his shoulder, earning a scream from you.

Joe stops at the water’s edge, “do you have any electronics you would like to remove? Are you wearing a swimsuit?”

He places you back on your feet. The second he lets go of you, you try to bolt. His arms around your waist stop you. You feel a bit flustered feeling his chest pressed against your back. He turns you around by your hips and keeps a finger hooked in your belt loop.

You roll your eyes at him playfully. You take your shirt off and throw it to the side, then toss your phone and sunglasses on top of it. You glance down at Joe’s hand, raising your eyebrows. He removes his hand but moves it only slightly to hover over your waist ready to grab you if you try to run away again. You look him in the eyes, trying to scowl as you unbutton your shorts. You know your mouth is giving you away as you bit your bottom lip to not smile. Joe’s eyes darken when you slip your shorts down. The atmosphere changes. You wish you were somewhere else with Joe and without the kids screaming that breaks you out of your daydream of Joe taking the rest of your clothes off. You kick your shorts to the side. Joe smirks before throwing you back over his shoulder.

Joe tosses you into the water by his son, “here Joey, I brought Y/N to you.” Joey finds this hilarious.

After swimming and cake, all the kids are playing on the shore. Elisa, Joe’s neighbor and fill-in grandma Martha, and you are sitting at a picnic table chatting. Martha is telling Elisa and you about her own kids. One of the older kids at the party changes the song that is playing. You hear one of your own songs coming out of the speaker. Joe is standing behind Elisa talking to the dad of the girl that put the song on.

Joe groans, “this song sucks.”

The other dad takes a sip of his drink, “I like it. I want to hate it because it’s pop music and my kids play it constantly, but fuck if it isn’t catchy.”

You turn around when Joe says it sucks again. He has a giant smirk on his face that is turned to you, obviously just waiting for your reaction. You shake your head at him. Elisa is looking at you knowingly from the other side of the table. Her youngest daughter comes up to tell her she just threw up. Thankfully it was in one of the bushes. Elisa stands to gather her other kids. You go over to tell Joey happy birthday again before you leave. Joey gives you a tight hug. Joe is behind you.

“Happy Birthday little man!”

Joey keeps his arms wrapped around your shoulders, “dad! Give Y/N a hug.”

You stand back up. Joe extends his arms, one is high and one is low. You lift your arms the opposite of his so when you hug, you both have your arms wrapped around the others shoulders. Joe’s hand that rests between your shoulder blades slides down your spine leaving goosebumps in it’s trail. You pull back leaving your hands on Joe’s shoulders.

Joe’s eyes quickly flicker to your lips, “I’ll see you Monday. Thanks for coming.”

++++++++

Joe continues bringing Joey most days. He’s even dropped Joey off a couple times at you insistence when he was having difficulty finding a sitter and Joey didn’t have a camp to go to. Joey and you spend time coloring with chalk on the driveway, he’s learned a few songs from his piano book. Joe always comes in to eat lunch with you guys they days he’s at your house. About half of the days, the boys stay for dinner too. One day that Joe dropped Joey off for a few hours it was raining out so you and Joey decided to watch movies in the basement. Joe comes back and plops down next to you on the sofa. Both Joey and you look over at Joe, surprised he didn’t sit next to Joey. Even Joe seems startled by it. You could feel the corner of your mouth twitching upward as Joe explains there was more room on this side.

++++++++

Joe is out at the pool skimming leaves and bugs off the top. You sit inside watching him while trying to tune out your manager and publicist that flew in to basically lecture you. After they leave, you go outside and throw yourself on one of the lounge chairs.

Joe pulls out one of his headphones from his ear, “You okay?”

You let out a deep sigh, “yeah. They just don’t get it. I guess it’s hard for them to understand I feel better here when they just see their money running out if I don’t go back immediately.”

Joe snickered, “I heard three different songs of yours on the radio last week. I think you’re doing fine.”

You look up at him at him. You tease, “did you change the station?”

Joe laughs, “No.”

You huff a little, “they just kept telling me “just post something on instagram so fans know you’re doing something new music related. Like post some sheet music.” But I can’t write anything. Not really. I thought I had a song the other day but I don't know if it’s anything yet.” You thought of some lyrics about your budding feelings for Joe and the building tension you feel almost every time he’s near you.

You added, “I just don’t have anyone that gets it.”

Joe seemed deep in thought, “I don’t understand ANY of what that is like, the pressure you probably feel. You can talk to me though. If you want to. I do understand what it’s like to be alone.”

You pat the chair next to you. Joe sits in it. “I’m really sorry you’re on your own. That sucks.”

Joe nodded, “it does suck. Joey is the best thing that ever happened to me but being alone in it sucks. I only moved here with Joey in the slight chance his mom changes her mind and wants to be in his life. She moved back here about a week after Joey was born. She hasn’t seen him since the day he was born.”

You wiped a tear threatening to fall from your eye. You didn’t know that’s why it was only Joe. “I know you fret about it, but you really can bring Joey here whenever, even if you aren’t coming. He’s a cool kid. I like hanging out with him. It also gives me an excuse to get ice cream or make cookies. I’m not sure if he told you but we are baking cookies Friday.”

Joe thinks he could kiss you for making plans with his son. Also because he knows your offer to watch Joey comes from a place of compassion and not pity on their situation.

“I know you guys are baking cookies. Joey has told me about 100 times. I appreciate you doing that. I just try and take on as many odd jobs as I can to spend the most amount of time with him as possible. I don’t want to short change him on the only parent he has.”

You put your hand on the arm Joe has resting on the edge of his chair, “you’re a good dad. He’s a great kid. He’s so smart. He’s more polite than kids I know with two parents.”

“I really do mean it. You can talk to me if you need to, but I need to go pick Joey up from zoo school right now.” He looks around. “I’m not done here, but I can come back with him to finish.”

You squeeze Joe’s arm, “Joe, there are like 3 leaves in the pool. It’s fine. Go spend time with your son.”

Joe just looks at you unsure.

“I’m fine too.”

Joe puts his hand on top of yours that is still on his arm. He rubs his thumb over your knuckles, “I’ll see you Wednesday then.”

++++++++

Joe was on the far side of the pool from where you were in the water with your friend Elisa. The kids were all eating popsicles on some chairs in the shade. The two of you were taking advantage of being able to be in the pool without getting splashed. Joe was working on fixing the diving board. He assumed the water was carrying your voice because he could hear your entire hushed conversation. He tried to not get jealous or angry when Elisa was talking about her husband. It must be nice having someone else there. Even if they barely helped like it sounds like is the case with Elisa’s husband. Joe is torn between moving so he can’t hear and working quieter when he hears you tell Elisa that your ex text you last night.

“Yeah! He wanted to know if I was going to some party in New York. He flew there to go to a party with her. He didn’t want me to show up and make her feel uncomfortable. It must be nice having someone fly across the country to go to a party with you. I couldn’t get him to come to a concert of mine. I would fly to him between shows. It basically made me feel worthless and not loved all over again. Not worth being loyal to. However, it didn’t bring up the thoughts that I must be boring in bed again. That’s a plus”

Elisa lightly splashed you, “you’re an idiot. You are incredibly loved. My kids were really confused the other day when I told them you aren’t really their aunt. Nora said “but she’s my favorite aunt.” I don’t know what I would do without you. I’d come to all your concerts if I could. Just follow you around.”

You laughed, “you wanna be my groupie?”

Elisa chuckled, “we did kiss on a dare at a party in high school. Based on that ten seconds, I doubt you’re bad in bed.”

You cracked up, “Oh! I’m a great kisser!” You know Elisa will always be there for you. She was offered a crazy amount of money to write a book about you a year ago. She told them to fuck off instead of accepting the money that would change her life. You told her to go back to them, accept the offer, and then just make stuff up for the book. She still declined.

Elisa stood closer to you, “I still think you should go for Joe.” Both Elisa and you looked over at Joe. He was facing away from you luckily.

You took a deep breath, “believe me. I keep thinking about it more and more. He was lifting the lawnmower into his truck the other day. Biceps.” You fanned yourself with you hand. Elisa laughed.

Joe walked off smiling about you checking him out so he didn’t hear you add, “I’m not bringing sweet Joe and his even sweeter son into the shitshow that is my life. Well, my usual life. They deserve better than that.”

++++++++

Late Friday afternoon, Joey and you are sitting at the counter eating the chocolate chip cookies you had just finished making. You looked up and noticed the previously golden sunlight looked green. The tornado sirens started going off. Joe rushed inside.

Joey started whimpering, “I don’t like storms.” Joe picked him up. You all went into the basement. Joey didn’t think it was secure enough. He insisted you all go into the bathroom down there and get in the tub. That’s what his preschool teacher had told them to do. You grabbed some blankets from beside the sofa and followed the boys into the bathroom. It was a tight fit with a blanket down to make the tub more comfortable. Joe repositioned Joey so he was sitting on his lap. Joey was holding both Joe and your hands. You can hear the wind blowing rain against the windows upstairs. Joe starts singing to Joey. It seems to calm him down. You can’t help but sing along. Joe looks over at you warmly. You lean against him. He moves the arm that is draped over Joey’s legs and rests his hand on your knee. The rain sounds like it stops after about ten minutes and the sirens are no longer going. Joey wants to stay in the tub for a little bit longer though. He asks Joe to sing more.

You look over at Joe, “you do have a good voice. I’d like to hear another song too.”

Joe hummed appreciately, “what song do you want Joey?”

Joe’s phone rings. You can hear one of the owner’s of another house Joe works at very distraught on the phone. He is having guests over tonight but his yard is a mess from the storm. He offers Joe $500 to come clean it up now. Joe’s leg starts shaking, “I really want to but I have my son right now.”

You tap Joe’s arm. You mouth, “I got him. Go.”

Joe smiles, “I’ll be right there, sir.”

Joe comes back a few hours later. Joey is asleep with his head on your lap on the sofa. Joe smiles down at you both. He slides his hand under Joey’s head, lifting it just enough that you can get out. You put a pillow under his head instead. Joe grabs your hand and starts leading you upstairs to the kitchen.

Joe turns to you. He’s breathing heavy, “you’re so good with him.” He puts his hands on either side of your face and presses his forehead against yours, “You’re just so good in general.” Joe tilts his head to the side and closes the distance between your lips. You readily kiss back.

Joe pulls back, “Is this okay?”

You take a couple steps back and hop up on the counter. You nod and then hook a finger beckoning Joe to come to you.

Joe stands between your legs, which you wrap around his waist. Joe kisses you hard. You slide your tongue past his lips. Joe’s hands wander up your dress to your ass.

You move your lips to his neck. Between kisses you say, “your kid is asleep downstairs.”

Joe holds your face in his hands again. “I can be quiet. Do you want to do this?”

You let your head fall back, Joe kisses the column your throat, “I need you Joe.” He puts a hand under your dress again, running up the inside of your leg. You moan, “Joe I need you inside me.”

After Joe and you have sex on the counter, you both quickly make yourselves decent again. Joe is giving you lazy kisses as he is leaning against the counter, hold you against his chest.

You stroke his cheek, “that was some really good sex.”

Joe laughed lightly, “yeah. It really was. Next time we should do it in a bed. Maybe add some foreplay.”

You step back. You know if you even kiss Joe again on a different day, you’re going to completely fall for him. More so than you already have. “I don’t think we should do it again.”

Joe looks hurt, “but I want to be with you. Not just BE with you, but be WITH you. I am pretty sure you want the same thing.”

He’s completely right. You do want to be with him. You bottom lip quivers, “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Joe just looks angry now. He almost yells, “Why? Cause I’m poor?”

Before you can explain your real reasoning Joey appears at the top of the stairs. Joe tells him it’s time to go home and starts gathering their things. Joe won’t look at you. Joey gives you a small wave from the truck window as they pull away.

++++++++

Things get incredibly awkward between Joe and you. He barely gets close enough to you alone so you can talk to him. You go to try and talk to him but he’ll keep doing whatever he’s working on with his headphones in. He still brings Joey along with him which you see as a plus. At least he still trusts you with his son. Joey just doesn’t understand why they don’t stay for dinner anymore. The fourth night Joey asks to stay or have you over for dinner, Joe gives in.

Joey has been quietly eating for a few minutes. His eyebrows are pinched together so you know he’s thinking deeply about something. You look at Joe, you tap between your eyebrows then point to Joey.

Joe laughs a little, “Joey, what are you thinking about?”

Joey looks over at you. “What is being famous like? I think I want to be a famous musician some day.”

You bite the inside of you lip. “It’s mostly good. I LOVE music. I LOVE being able to perform music I write for people and sharing that experience with them. People have told me that my music has helped them with a hard time in their life or makes them happy. Which in turn makes me happy. I like that it has given me resources to help people in other ways too. There are some not great things about being famous though.”

Joey scrunches up his face, “like what? What is bad? You can buy all the toys you want.”

You smile at him, “buying toys only temporarily makes things better. You remember how that girl recognized me when we got ice cream? That happens a lot sometimes. Not everyone is nice about it either. People make up stories about me. I don’t have that much privacy and sadly people that come into my life can lose that too. Which is worse I think. I hate doing that to people, especially when they are really nice, kind, hardworking, and handsome.” You look up at Joe who is already looking at you.

“Handsome!?” Joey looks disgusted.

You laughed, “I meant awesome!”

Joe started rubbing his foot against yours under the table.

While Joey is putting his shoes on to leave, Joe leans in and whispers to you, “Can I come back later? I’ll ask Martha to come over once Joey is asleep.”

During the couple hours Joe is at home, you take a quick shower. It’s wishful thinking but you shave your legs and freshen up other areas.

Butterflies fill your stomach when the doorbell rings.

Joe pulls you into a kiss as soon as you open the door. Before you know it, he has you pressed against the back of it. You card through his hair as his sucks on your neck, “Joe, we need to talk.”

Joe sighs, “I know. Give me a minute.” He resumes kissing your neck. You giggle and push him off you.

You grab his hand, “come on. Let’s go to the living room.”

You sit on the sofa facing him. He sits then pats his legs. You shuffle closer and put your legs on his lap.

You lean your head against the back of the sofa “I really like you Joe. This summer is not an adequate view of my life though. Me sitting around with all the free time in the world is about the exact opposite of normal. I don’t want you and Joey to get messed up by all the “celebrity” parts of my life. It would kill me if people started making up rumors about you two.”

Joe cupped your face, which you leaned into, “You’re worth it though.”

You shook your head, “I’m really not.”

Joe kissed you delicately, “You are. You’re kind, compassionate, and selfless. Joey loves you. I think his dad could too.”

You pushed up to kiss Joe again, “did Martha give you a curfew?”

Joe chuckled, “no. Just said go get her.”

You brushed a finger along his jaw, “you can get me now. If you’d like.”

Joe took a deep breath, “I’m not doing anything intimate with you without knowing we’re together. I know it will take work. You have celebrity baggage and I have adorable 6 year old baggage. I want to make it work though. Be in a relationship with you.”

“I want that too, Joe.”

Joe shifted so he had an arm under your legs and around your shoulders. He lifted you slightly then maneuvered so you were laying on your back with on top of you. Joe’s eyes were full of lust and something close to love as he leaned into kiss you again.


	2. Chapter 2

You had known Joe about two and a half months and have been with him for the last month. The ease in which Joe, his 6 year-old son Joey, and you fall into a pattern after Joe and you started a relationship startled you. It seemed so natural. Joe would come over to work on the house, Joey and you would hang out, you’d all have lunch together, then after Joe was done all three of you would spend time together till it was Joey’s bedtime. On the days Joey had a camp to go to, Joe and you would have a different type of lunch break. The type that actually worked up an appetite instead of satisfying it. These breaks did take care of a different type of thirst though. You were deep in thought about taking one of those types of breaks with Joe at the kitchen island when Joe was suddenly across from you. His figure scared you since you hadn’t heard him approach.

Joe laughed when you jumped in your seat, “It’s just me, baby.” He walked around the island, kissed your cheek, and kept a hand on your back as he sat on the stool next to you. “The owner of the house called me last night and said someone already bought it last week. He hadn’t even listed it. They just knew they liked it. They also intend to keep me on doing the projects the old owner had planned and will pay me the same amount.”

You tried to keep an indifferent face. You had bought the house you had just been renting. You hadn’t told Joe yet. It was sort of impulsive. It also seemed like the completely correct decision. About a week ago, Joe, Joey, and you were in the basement watching a movie. Joey was asleep with his head against Joe’s chest and his legs on your lap. Joe reached over and was gently scratching the back of your head. You felt completely at peace. Knowing you needed to stay longer than the summer like your original intention, you called the owner the second the boys left to tell him you wanted to buy it. You didn’t want Joe to think you were desperate, or trying to lock him down, or too committed too soon, and basically every other negative response you think he could have. It was more you just wanted to stay around longer so the relationship had a chance to really get started and you had the money to buy the house as an investment. You really didn’t want to scare Joe off.

You smile, “hmm that’s good.”

Joe smirks, “so, what’s new with you?”

His smirk made you suspicious he figured it out, “not much. I was going to paint my nails later. I need to get a haircut.”

Joe started playing with the ends of your hair, “your hair looks nice though.” You smile at his observation. “There are boxes by your front door.”

“Yes, there are. Are they in your way for some reason?”

Joe laughed softly, “no. They were shipped here from New York.”

“I know.”

Joe tilted his head at you, “at what point were you planning on telling me?”

You laugh realizing he definitely knows, “that I had boxes of my own stuff sent to me?”

Joe playfully rolled his eyes, “that you bought the house. That you’re staying longer. I’ve been waiting for you to tell me we’d be starting the long distance part of our relationship soon.”

You took a deep breath to steady yourself, “I thought it might be too much too soon. I mean, I AM staying for you, but I’m also going to start doing my job again. I’m going to put a recording studio in the unfinished part of the basement.”

Joe stood up for the stool so he could lean in to kiss you, “you putting in effort to maintain our relationship isn’t too much.” Joe kissed you again softly. He started looking around, “what school district is this?”

You purse your lips, “I know the high school is Truman.”

“Is the grade school Farley?”

“It’s like 2 blocks away, so probably.”

Joe drummed his fingers on the counter, “ummm. So they have a really good music teacher at Farley. Joey made himself a piano out of paper so he can practice at home. Their teacher gives private lessons after school.”

You smiled, “are you about to ask me to use my address for Joey’s school?”

“More than that maybe.”

You eyes widened. You thought maybe he wanted to move in. “What?”

Joe chuckled, “maybe he could ride the bus here some days when I can’t pick him up.”

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. “Yeah, of course. I’m good with that.”

Joe laughed again, “did you think I was going to ask to move in?”

You let your head fall forward in slight embarrassment, “maybe.”

Joe kissed the back of your head since that’s what he had the best access to right now. “Maybe next week.” Joe walked back outside before you could see his facial expression so you couldn’t tell if he was being facetious or not. 

++++++++

Joey had been in kindergarten for about a week. Joe was finally starting to calm down about sending him off to school each day. Joey had attended full day preschool so you didn’t understand what the difference was so you just did your best to soothe Joe’s nerves. Joe was able to convince the music teacher to take on Joey for private lessons even though she usually only takes students in 1st grade and older. Joe was sitting next to you on the sofa by the piano while Joey practiced. Joe was filling out a form required for the lessons. You peaked over Joe’s shoulder to look at the form.

“That’s the wrong zip code, Joe.”

“Oh.” Joe looked over at you suddenly, “this is not the first time I’ve written that incorrectly.”

You made your eyes get huge and teased him, “they are going to catch on that you’re lying about your address.”

Joe shrugged, “I’ll just play stupid.”

The boys were still at your house constantly, or you would go over to their apartment. You didn’t like the idea of Joe wasting money on rent when they pretty much only slept there. You decided to drop a hint about that.

“I feel really guilty being part of your lie to the school.”

Joe playfull rolled his eyes at you and went back to filling out the rest of the form.

You leaned into him, “Maybe you should have some mail sent here.”

Joe smiles and raises both his eyebrows at you, “oh yeah?”

“Yes. Maybe leave a change of clothes. Or 7.”

Joe laughed, “you are so subtle.” He kissed you. “Should I bring clothes for Joey too? Maybe all our stuff?” His tone was full of teasing sarcasm.

You lightly huffed, “I know it’s too early. You’re just here late and come back in the morning. My head knows it’s too early. My heart keeps telling me otherwise.”

Joe put his arm around your shoulders, “they are different?”

You nodded, “yes. My heart is a stupid bitch. Terrible decision maker really.”

Joe replied dryly, “thanks.”

You lightly swatted his chest, “NOT about YOU. Previously she’s made questionable choices.”

“I’m glad she’s more intelligent now.” Joe pinched your side, “On a serious note, I want to. If it was just me, I would. I want to spend as much time with you as I can. I am planning on putting in ALL the effort to make this relationship work, but I have a son. This is relatively new still. I want to have a more firm foundation before I move Joey.”

You rested your head on his shoulder, “I guess you have a very good point. Joey is the last person I want to hurt.” You nuzzled against his shoulder, “you’re a close second.”

Joe laughed, “I can accept that order.”

You looked up at him, “Can we have sleepovers? Specifically you and me. I want to wake up to you.”

Joe kissed your forehead, “Of course! One of Joey’s classmates asked if he could come spend the night some time. We could then.”

++++++++

The following Friday night, Joe dramatically whips open your front door. He’s holding red tulips and dressed in nice slacks and a tucked in grey button down shirt. You mouth falls open because you’ve never seen him like this. He looks good. 

Joe smiles brightly, “Get ready gorgeous, I’m taking you out. The child is occupied tonight.”

You laughed but stayed in your seat. 

Joe noticed your hesitation. He came to stand in front of the big fluffy chair you were curled up in reading. He leaned forward and kissed you, “you’re my girlfriend. Shouldn’t you want me to take you on dates? We always hang out here or at my house, with a 6 year-old.”

You took a deep breath, “I DO want to go on a date with you.”

Joe teased, “you don’t want to be seen with me?”

“That’s not it. I don’t want to get interrupted. I don’t want to be watched. It’s distracting. I want all my focus on to be on you on a date.”

Joe smirked, “can you trust me? I have a plan.”

Joe’s plan was taking you for a picnic out at the shelter house where Joey’s birthday was. There weren’t any other people around. He made you sit in the car while he set everything out. He had a tablecloth, candle, salads, and dessert all set out. His phone was playing soft music. When you sit down, you noticed there was a hand drawn picture of flowers in the middle of the table. Clearly Joey’s work. You pointed at it.

Joe smiled proudly, “he wanted to be involved after I told him what I was doing tonight while he was gone.”

“Oh that’s adorable. I like your plan.”

Joe smiled, “I thought you would. I know you.” The way he said I know you made your heart soft. Like he was saying he knew your soul. “This is also where I first thought I might actually have a chance with you.”’ 

You smiled down at the table, “I don’t know if that’s accurate though.”

Joe pinched his eyebrows together, “but that day...we were flirting.”

You bit your lip, “Yeah…. But I thought you were hot from day one. Like before we talked.”

Joe laughed, “If we are going off of that factor, I thought you were hot before I met you.”

After you were done eating, Joe reached out and held your hand resting on the table. He rubbed his thumb over your knuckles, “how cheesy of a date are you up for?”

You laughed, “what do you have in mind?”

Joe switched the song playing to the cover of Lovesong by Adele held his hand out to you. You slow danced next to the table. Joe was resting his head against yours as you two swayed in a circle.

You hummed, “I love this song.”

“I’d like to hear you sing it.”

You closed your eyes, “not right now. This is too nice.”

Joe squeezed you closer against him as a response. After the song was over, he whispered into your ear, “you wanna go home?”

Joe and you go back to your house. Joe looks sheepish when he gets an overnight bag out of his truck. He mumbled, “I didn’t want to assume.”

You walk over and take his hand in yours, “you’re so sweet. You can leave some stuff here. Or I can get you some stuff for my bathroom the next time I go to the store.”

Joe smiled, “I want to use your shampoo. It smells good.”

“Did you want a toothbrush? You aren’t using mine.”

Joe grabs you suddenly. He puts his face in yours and starts trying to lick your face, “but I put my tongue in your mouth. How is it different?”

You giggle, trying to squirm away. Joe has his arms around you too tightly though. 

You are already laying in bed when Joe comes to join you. He yells slumber party and falls on to the bed. He starts rolling back and forth between you and the edge of the bed.

“There is so much room in this bed. This king size bed is going to spoil me.”

You laugh and slide more under the covers. Joe gets under the covers as well. He rolls around again till he rolls up on top of you. He immediately attaches his lips to yours.

Between kisses he tells you, “I’m excited I’m not on a time constraint for once.”

You twist your head away from his mouth, “what are you talking about?”

“When we fool around on my lunch breaks, I always kind of feel like I should keep it quick so then you aren’t paying me for sexual favors.”

You crack up laughing. There are tears coming out of your eyes.

Joe wiggles on top of you before he slides off and rests against your side. He props up his head with one hand and rubs the other right under your breasts. “Are you going to  _ Pretty Woman _ me?

“Do you want me to get you a pretty necklace?”

Joe laughs, “but don’t snap the box on my fingers. They are sensitive. I need them for things.”

You hum, “what things?”

“This.” Joe trails his hand down your chest, past you hips, and the adult part of your sleepover truly starts.

You wake up to Joe pulling you towards him the next morning. Joe sort of knows this, but you are NOT a morning person

“No, I’m asleep,” you grumble.

Joe laughs then kisses your cheek, “are you asleep now?   
“Mostly.”

Joe kisses below your ear, “are you asleep now?”

“Halfway.”

Joe moves his lips to yours, “getting to touch you first thing in the morning is the best way to wake up. Happiest I’ve been this early in a while.”

You softly kiss him, “it would be happier in like another 45 minutes.”

Joe laughs again, “can I just do one thing first before you fall back asleep?” 

You nod and he kisses you deeply. Joe and you make out for a couple of hours, going back and forth between slow intimate kisses and hard core making out full of grabby hands and tongues. 

Joe finally releases you when he has to get ready to go pick up Joey. He takes a quick shower. He comes back out to find you almost asleep again.

He kisses your forehead, “you mind if I come back with Joey and lunch?”

You smiled, “that sounds wonderful.” You roll over onto your stomach.

Joe smacks your ass through the sheet, “wake up!” He winks and leaves the room.

++++++++

In late September, the construction of the recording studio in your basement is almost complete. They are testing the sound proofing one afternoon when Joey is there after school. Joey, Joe, and you are all in the basement watching.

Joey tugs on your arm. When you look down at him he asks, “when are you going to build my room?”

You look over at Joe. He looks like a deer caught in the headlights. You don’t really know how to answer. Both Joe and you just kind of make an “errrr” noise.

Joey continues, “you love each other. You both love me. We’re going to be a family right?” His little voice is so sweet and hopeful when he asks this.

Joe squats down eye level with his son. He puts a hand on his shoulder, “We will someday.”

Joey looks up at you then back at his dad, “I need a mom. I want this one.” He points at you and then walks upstairs.

You cover your mouth so Joey doesn’t hear you laughing. You don’t want him to think you’re laughing at the very heartwarming statement when it’s really the awkward expression on his dad’s face. You lean down to Joe who is still squatting down where Joey left him. You grab Joe’s chin between your thumb and index finger, “don’t worry darling, I won’t have you respond to the mom or love comments right now.” You kiss him and walked upstairs to start dinner.

  
  


++++++++

One Saturday night in early October, Joey is spending the night at your friend Elisa’s house. You have an event to attend next weekend in New York. Joe was going to come with you for the weekend. Joey spending the night there is practice for him to stay there for the whole weekend next time. You had taken Joey over there in the morning. Joe insisted you stay there for a while so Joey adjusted before you left. Joey had spend a great deal of the summer around Elisa and her kids, so this didn’t make too much sense to you but you went along with it. That evening you found out what he was really up to.

After dinner Joe poured you each a fresh glass of wine and told you to come out back with him. One of Joe’s friends had come over that morning and helped Joe build a fire pit just past the pool in the backyard. Joe added another log to the fire he had started sometime without you noticing then snuggled next to you on the patio furniture assembled around it.

Joe slipped his hand between your knees, holding the one closer to him. 

He sighed, “my kid is too smart.”

You snickered, “what does that even mean?”

“He called me out.”

“About what?”

Joe pulled you closer to him, “about you.”

You looked over at Joe. You thought you knew what he might be talking about now.

Joe smiled, “not going to inquire anymore what I’m talking about?”

You shrugged, “I have some thoughts but I am going to let you finish.”

Joe chuckled, “okay. When he said he needed a mom.”

You sit up straight and turned to look at him.

Joe cackled at this, “calm down girl.” He pulled you back against his side. “I’m not proposing. I’d put a little more effort in that. Though I did build the fire pit so I could do this this way.”

You asked softly, “do what?”

“You caught me completely off guard. When I saw you on your porch that first day, I thought it was just the sun in my eyes. But then it was actually you. Then you were nice. You were kind. You were loving before I fell in love with you.”

You turned slowly to look at him again, “what?”

Joe’s whole face was soft, “I am in love with you. I love you. In a way I didn’t think I’d have in my life.”

You felt on the verge of happy tears. “I love you too. I am completely in love with you, Joe.”

Joe smiled brightly, “Good.” He took your wine glass and set it on the ground with his own. You stood up and straddled him. 

“Do you think we are far enough from the neighbors?”

Joe seemed to know how you meant that. He moved his hands to your ass and pulled your hips closer to him.

You must have been far enough away because the police never showed up to arrest you both for public indecency. 

++++++++

You sat in the passenger seat of your own car. Joe was driving you both to the airport. You were drumming your fingers on your thighs. You were ansty. Joe was coming with you to a party being thrown by one of the sponsors from your last tour. You’d like to have them as a sponsor for your next tour so you couldn’t turn down the invitation. Joe had never seen you in this environment before. You were nervous about how it would go. It was like you could sense danger ahead.

Joe reached over and flattened the tapping hand closer to him, “you okay, love?”

You lean your head back against the headrest and puffed air out of your lips. “What if you don’t like the real me?”

Joe squeezed your hand, “I know the real you.”

You let your head fall to the side so you were looking at him, “you know what I mean.”

Joe glanced at you for a second before turning his eyes back to the road, “what do you think I’m going to see that I won’t like? Is your apartment weird? Is it full of taxidermy animals?” 

You laughed, “NO! It just… you haven’t seen this part of my life.”

Joe patted your hand a few times like he was playing a beat against them, “I don’t know if this is creepy since we are in a relationship, but I’ve looked at your Instagram. I am a pretty good idea of what the weekend will be like.”

You bit your lip and looked out the windshield. Seeing it and experiencing are probably different.

Joe shook your leg, “how about this. I’ll guess what I think is going to happen and you tell me how wrong I am. Save your answers till the end.”

You smiled and looked over at him. He seemed excited about this little game. “Sure, Joe. Guess.”

“We are going to fly there on a private plane. We’ll stay at your multimillion dollar apartment that probably has a great view. I’ll see lots of awards on a shelf and when you’re asleep I am going to take them in front of a mirror and practice an acceptance speech. Actually scratch that, I’m just going to do it in front of you. We’ll wear fancy clothes to the fancy party. Someone will probably help you get ready. That same someone will probably try to groom me as well. At the party, I will be your arm candy as we mingle with other famous people that all want to talk to you because you’re the best. Then because the party has terrible food we’ll grab some amazing New York style pizza on the way home. When we get home, we’ll fall into bed where I will give you at least one mind blowing orgasm. More if we don’t drink too much.”

You were looking out the windshield again, but had a giant smile plastered on your face this time. “You are pretty spot on.”

Joe cheered for himself making you laugh again. “Do you have a giant bathtub?”

“I do.”

Joe made a tsk tsk tsk noise, “orgasm number one is happening in there.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, “I also have a hot tub with a view of the Empire State Building.”

“Oh! Fuck the bathtub then! Between the jets and my dexterous fingers, I might be able to get two out of you before getting to the bed.” Joe wiggled his fingers in your face, instantly giving you dirty thoughts.

“Can we fool around on the plane?”

You laughed, “there are still other people on the plane. It’s not just you and me. There is a flight attendant still.”

“Oh.” Joe sounded really disappointed.

You reached over to play with the hair on the nape of his neck, “don’t worry dear, you’ll get laid plenty this weekend.”

Joe moved his head against your hand on his neck. “Are you still worried? Cause I’m still going to love you even if I have a dead animals watching me while we do it.”

“There are no animals of any kind in my apartment.”

You are riding the elevator up to your apartment. Joe is bouncing on his toes in excitement. It’s the same thing you’ve seen Joey do many times. It warms your heart and also makes you the tiniest bit sad that Joey isn’t with you.

“Can I see the view first?”

You giggle, “yes.”

You lead him through the entryway and kitchen to the balcony off of the kitchen. Joe sighed as he sat down in one of the chairs out there, “let's just stay here all weekend. I’ve missed the city.”

You held your hand out to him, “up. Come see the rest. There are other balconies.” 

You showed Joe around the rest of your apartment. When you come to the door to your bedroom, Joe asks, “I mean, this is beautiful. Why are you with me?”

You stopped in the doorway and turned around to look at him, “because I love you. What is the correlation between those thoughts?”

“You can have anything.”

You put your hands around his neck. “I can’t buy how you make me feel.”

Joe smirked, “oh, we’re back to the prostitute thing.” 

“No, dork. I meant that whole we love each other thing.”

Joe slides his hands from the small of your back to the back of your thighs. He taps there so you jump and he lifts your legs to his waist, “so you don’t want some quality Joe Mazzello sex right now?” He starts walking into your bedroom.

“I always want some high quality Joe Mazzello sex.”

Joe tosses you onto your bed, “do we have to be anywhere tonight?”

“No”

Joe looks pleased, “good. Cause I want you so bad right now?”

++++++++

Joe was standing at the bar waiting for another round of drinks. He fixed the sleeve of the jacket your stylist got for him. It was exponentially nicer than anything Joe owned. Joe appreciated that when he came out in it you looked at him with the same loving expression you always did. You didn’t seem to like him more just because he was in nicer clothes. Joe had gone to the bathroom while you caught up with one of your friends. She had a story to tell you and it seemed like maybe she didn’t want Joe to hear so he excused himself. It was taking far longer to get back to you than he planned. Joe noticed someone standing really close to his left side. 

Joe moved a little to the right, “sorry man.” He figured the man was trying to get closer to the bar to order drinks for himself. Joe looked up and recognized your ex, the star of a movie Joe couldn’t watch anymore.

He gave Joe a cocky grin, “you’re here with Y/N, right?”

Joe didn’t see any real reason to be rude since you had told him you were over it, “yes. I’m Joe.” Joe held his hand out to shake.

Your Ex just looked at it. “How long do you think she’s really going to stay with you? I bet I could go over there and convince her to come back to me in ten minutes. I want her back. I can get her back.”

Joe scoff, “Fuck off, man.”

“Oh, are you defensive? You know I’m better for her.”

Joe rolls his eyes, “how so?”

“She and I are the same class of people.”

Joe glared at the generically handsome man, “don’t forget because of how you humiliate her? Or talked shit about her to your mistress? Or because you put in zero effort into your relationship? She is the best person I’ve ever met. You shouldn’t be allowed to breathe the same air as her. She may be too good for me, but she’s so far above you, it’s not even funny.”

Joe feels a hand on the back of his arm. He turns and sees you. 

You wrap your hand around Joe’s bicep, “Joe. Let’s go home.”

Your ex called to you, “Y/N. Can I talk to you?”

“I’m good. Thanks.” You put your hand in Joe’s and left to go home. 

Back in your kitchen, you are getting some water to wash down the pizza Joe and you got on the way home. You take a drink then stand in front of where Joe is leaning against the counter.

You place your hands on his chest, “Joe. I heard you at the party. I’m not too good for you.”

Joe leans forward and kisses you, “I disagree. I’m nowhere near good enough for you.”

You moved your hands to cradle Joe’s face, “I never want to hear you say that again. Please don’t ever think that either. You are amazing. In every way. You are perfect for me.”

Joe smiled, “okay, love.”

++++++++

Joe had been at your neighbor’s raking up their leaves. It took him a lot less time than he thought it would. He went over to your house to see if you wanted to get lunch with him. He had keys so he let himself in. He hollered for you as he opened the door. He walked into the house further. Then he heard it. You were upstairs singing. Not the soft quiet singing Joe had heard you do back in the summer during the storm, or the airy singing you do while milling about your house. It was different than the goofy singing you did along with Joey to his made up songs. This was full on singing. The singing that won you awards and made you an international star. Joe was transfixed. It was gorgeous. He of course knew you could sing like this. He had listened to all your music since he met you. Hearing it in person was different. It gave him chills. He toed off his shoes to go find you.

At the top of the stairs, Joe heard the water running in your bathroom. You’re in your shower. He knocked on the door so he didn’t scare you as much. He knows it’s a little crazy, but he has to kiss you right now. Joe doesn’t bother taking his clothes off before he gets in the shower with you.

You turn around as the shower curtain opens. You scream when you see someone.

“Fuck Joe! You scared the shit out of me.” 

Joe wraps his arms around you back you against the wall of the shower. He kisses you hard. You kiss him back then laugh.

“Joe! All your clothes are on.”

Joe kisses you more, “I took my shoes off.”

You giggle against his mouth, “that’s good. What are you doing?”

“I heard you singing. It was ethereal. I had to kiss you. There wasn’t time to take my clothes off.”

You turn so Joe is against the other wall of the shower. You put your hands under his shirt to take it off. You start to unbutton his jeans. “I do have a dryer.”

Joe helps you get his pants and boxers down, “I’ll just have to find someway to occupy myself while I’m naked and they dry.”

You stand back up to kiss Joe some more, “am I also naked in this situation?”

Joe put his hands in your wet hair, “preferably.” 

You step back and point to the small bench build it to the shower, “sit before we slip and fall.” You sit on his lap once he’s sitting.

Joe rubs his hands up and down your bare back, “will you sing to me while I’m in you?”

“What?”

Joe’s face reddened. It could be because of the hot water but you suspected he was embarrassed, “sorry if that’s weird. You don’t have to.”

You kissed him softly, “no, it’s not weird. I’ve never tried that. I’ll do it though.”

Joe’s face light up, “really?”

You cupped his face, “of course. Anything for you.”

++++++++

You were sitting on your front steps watching Joe rake leaves. You offered to help but he said you weren’t allowed because you gave him shower sex. Followed by sex on your bed while his clothes dried.

Joe was just finishing up when Joey’s bus started coming down the street. Joey immediately spotted the pile of leaves and his eyes got huge. He started to run towards them.

Joe turned towards his son, “Joey! Don’t!”

Joey stopped running but he continued creeping towards the pile. You laughed because his eyes were still huge and it was incredibly obvious he still intended to jump in.

Joe shook his head. Joe didn’t have a very convincing stern voice when he said, “Joseph Francis Mazzello the forth, no!”

You muttered, “jesus.”

Joe turned to you, “what? You knew that was his name.”

“I’d never heard it out loud.” You got up and started inching towards the leaves. Joey started laughing.

Joe held a finger out towards you threateningly, “Two time Grammy winner Y/N Y/M/N Y/L/N, no!” He broke character and smiled.

You held up 3 fingers, “it’s 3 time winner.”

Joe held up both hands, “ohhh so sorry!” He corrected his version of an overly long name for you. Joe is about to turn back to Joey who is really close to the leaves. You decide to distract Joe for him.

“Joe! Do you want more kids someday?”

“WHAT?” Joe turned his whole body towards you.

Joey cracked up and jumped into the leaves.

Joe looks back to his son then to you, “you did that on purpose!”

You nod and run around Joe to jump in the leaves too. Joe sighs and jumps in as well. Joey is a giggling mess. Joey starts to push leaves on top of his dad. You help him. You guys bury Joe completely until his just face is showing. After you take a picture, Joey crawls on top of his dad. Joe reaches out for your hand and pulls you down with them. You lay down next to Joe. Joey is still giggling. It’s one of your favorite noises. Joey snuggles into his dad’s chest. He reaches for your hand. You give it to him, and he lays his head back down on Joe. The gesture makes you so happy you could cry.

Joey smiles over at you, “Y/N?”

“Yes, Joey?”

“I love you.”

And now tears are forming in your eyes, “I love you too, Joey.”

Joe puts his arm around you to pull you in closer to them. You put a hand on Joey’s back. Joe presses a kiss against Joey’s forehead and then yours.

++++++++

Joey and you are in the basement recording studio playing around. Since it’s digital you record it. Joe is playing on the piano and singing while you play the guitar long to his made up songs. You look up and see Joe is on the other side of the glass recording you guys on his phone.

When Joey is done playing, you go out and ask Joe how the video turned out.

Joe smiled, “it’s good. I gotta keep it for the archives when he’s famous. It’s his first recording session.”

You laugh lightly, “very good point.”

Joe kissed your cheek, “plus I gotta keep it for family videos.” Joe walks upstairs leaving you in the shock of his statement.

++++++++

Joe brought Joey over to your house to spend the night for the first time. Joey was in the basement with one of his friends from his class, and Elisa’s son Mason having a slumber party. Joe is practically asleep next to you in your bed. You are on top of the covers. You had inspiration for some new lyrics so you were writing them down before they left you.

Joe suddenly stole the sheet from you. He read some of the lyrics, “are these about me?”

You huffed, “you shouldn’t be seeing those yet!”

“Sorry.” Joe handed them back.

“They aren’t done. It will be better to music.”

Joe poked your side, “I’m sorry I stole them. I was just… I was trying to flirt.”

You smile, “I know baby. It’s okay. I’d just rather play you the finished product.”

Joe rubbed your knee. His tone was teasing, “so you like FULL love me?”

You rolled your eyes and teased back, “unfortunately yes.”

Joe smiled, “I full love you too.”

You look down at him softly, “good.”

Joe tapped on your knee, “what’s the plan for winter break?”

You shrugged.

“My parents want to come for Christmas.”

You raised your eyebrows at him, “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” Joe sat up. “Don’t you think it would be better for all of us to be at one place for that?”

“Meaning?”

Joe smiled, “my lease is up in November. I checked last week.”

You tease, “so you want my help looking for a three bedroom for when they visit?”

Joe moved so he was straddling you. He started tickling you while sitting on your legs, “NO! That is not what I want.”

You put your pen and notebook on the bedside table. 

“Joe, you know I want you and Joey around as much as possible. I don’t want to rush you into something you aren’t ready for.”

“I am ready. Joey cries sometimes when we leave. The other day I was trying to soothe him, saying we gotta go home and sleep. He said but Y/N isn’t there. I think that means he’s ready too.”

You grabbed the front of his shirt to pull him to you. You kissed his lips. “So November. You’re moving in?”

Joe smiled, “yeah. I think that will be a good amount of time. Joey can pick out what color he wants his room and all that.

You tried not to laugh, “which room do you want?”

Joe scoffed, “don’t joke! I can’t wait to share a room with you.”

You kissed him, “so sorry baby.”

Joe looked towards the door of the bedroom, then back to you, “we probably can’t have sex with a slumber party in the basement, right?”

You laughed, “no. We can’t. I’m not explaining that to kids or their parents.”

Joe chuckled, “would you explain it to me if Joey heard.”

You slapped your hand to cover your eyes, “You know how sex with me works.”

Joe almost moaned, “it works really well.” You playfully rolled your eyes. “Are you going to write more or can we snuggle?”

You stood up to the side of the bed so you could get under the covers with him, “we can snuggle.”

Joe kissed the back of your neck as he was spooning you, “I love you future roommate.”

“I love you too, Joe.”

++++++++

One evening Joey is helping you make dinner. His version of helping is standing at the counter and swiping croutons from the salad whenever you aren’t looking at him. You still notice out of the corner of your eye and from the diminishing number of croutons in the bowl. It’s too entertaining to watch Joey try and chew them inconspicuously to tell him to stop.

With a mouth full of crouton, Joey asks, “can you make me a Halloween costume?”

You grimace. Your talent in that area is almost non-existent. You may be able to think of ideas but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. You offer something else you are capable of, “I can help you find one and buy it for you.”

You laugh as Joey pops another crouton in his mouth, “thanks. Are we going trick or treating?”

“I think the plan is to go trick or treating at the zoo.”

Joey’s eyes got huge. He started bouncing on his toes out of excitement, “I know what everyone needs to be for Halloween. When can we go shopping?

You smile at him, curious what he’s going to assign you to be for Halloween. “Not sure. Lets ask your dad.” You turned from the stove to yell, “Joe!”

Joey giggles and yells, “Joe!”

You laugh at him for yelling Joe instead of dad, so you yell “Joe!” again.

Joe enters the kitchen towel drying his hair after showering. He’s laughing too, “yes dears?”

Joey is still bouncing on his toes, “I know what all our costumes are for halloween. When can we go look?”

Joe looked up at you, “after dinner?”

When you guys arrive at the Halloween store, Joey bolts to the kids section. He is in search of a tiger costume. It’s the only costume he’s mentioned to you so far. Joe and you haven’t found out what he has in mind for you yet. Joey is stopped in front of face paint when you catch up.

Joey looks up at you, “can you make my face look like a tiger?”

You pick up one of the face paint kits. It looks low quality. You ruffle Joey’s hair, “I think I could do a better job with regular makeup.” 

Joe nudged Joey’s shoulder, “if she’s going to put eye makeup on you, you are going to have to stay still. Just letting you know now.”

Joey nodded, “okay dad. Can you do lion and elephant makeup too?”

You shrugged, “I bet I can find some pictures online. I may need to practice once.”

Joe asked, “who is which animal?”

Joey pointed to you, “you’re the lion. Dad is the elephant.”

Joe tickled Joey, “why does she get to be your second favorite animal?”

“Because you have a big nose like an elephant.”

Joe scoffed, “hey! You’re going to have this nose some day.”

You were trying really hard not to laugh.

Joe poked your side, “don’t encourage him.”

You whispered to Joe, “I love your nose.”

Joe winked at you, “I know you do.” 

++++++++

Joey, Joe, and you are all decked out in your animal costumes. Joey and Joe both look adorable in the tiger and elephant costumes. They are both basically hooded onesies. Joe has already informed you he is sleeping in his from now on since it’s so soft. You ended up putting makeup on all three of you. Joe insisted that elephants had nice eyelashes and he needed mascara. Part of you thinks this is because one of Joey’s classmates told him boys don’t wear makeup when Joey was dressed up for school and you did his makeup for that day too. You also put some silver glitter highlighter on Joe. He commented how good his cheekbones looked and he wanted to wear it all the time. 

You guys go to the zoo. They have booths set up between the animals where candy is being passed out. Joey is having a hard time deciding between watching the animals and getting candy. Joe reassures him a few times there is plenty of time to do both. Joe leaves you and Joey in front of the tigers to go get some water knowing Joey won’t want to leave for a while. Joey has both hands and almost his face pressed against the glass. He’s been in this position for about ten minutes when you realize a lady about your age is standing close to you but is watching you instead of the tigers. You look over at her and she inhales sharply.

Her jaw drops a little, “it is you.”

You hold up your finger to your mouth in a shh gesture. No one had seemed to recognize you today. You figured it was the lion makeup.

She whispers to you, “I love your music.”

You smile broadly, “thanks.”

She leans a little closer, “can I discreetly take a picture with you?”

You look down at Joey. He’s still completely distracted by the tigers. “Yeah, we can. But let's make sure he’s not in it.”

She looks around you, “oh! He’s adorable.”

Joey turns around and then hides behind you. You reach behind you to put a hand on his back.

Something about her looks familiar. You wonder if it’s someone that went to your high school and don’t recognize now as an adult. She smiles, “I didn’t know you had a son.”

Joey peaks out from behind you, “my dad says she’ll be my mom in a year or two.”

Your eyes get huge. You look down at Joey, “he said what now?” You look up and see Joe off to the side looking pissed. He looks hesitant to come over. You look closer and notice his mouth looks angry but his eyes look sad.

Joey spots him, “dad!” Joe starts walking towards you guys looking at the ground.

Joe is standing next to you. He looks up at the woman, “hi Nicole.”

You gasp and mumble, “oh fuck.” Joey giggles at your bad word.

Nicole looks from Joe to Joey to you and back to Joe. “Joe, is this?” She points to Joey.

Joe’s jaw tightens. His voice is measured, “Do you even…” Joe looks to you, “Y/N can you take…” He looks down at Joey. You take Joey to look at the gorillas instead. You leave Joe to talk with Joey’s mom.

++++++++

After the zoo, you go to Joe’s apartment with them. Joe has been incredibly quiet the rest of the day. Joe is in reading Joey a bedtime story while you wait for him in the living room so you guys can talk. Joe comes out once Joey is asleep and starts pacing. He is breathing heavy and scowling. He’s pissed.

He finally talks but it comes out as a yell, “SHE DIDN’T EVEN REMEMBER HIS NAME!!!

“Joe, you’ll wake Joey.”

Joe sits next to you and starts crying. You’ve never seen him cry. You put and arm around him and bring his head to your chest. You start rubbing his back. Tears start forming in your eyes as well. You hate seeing Joe so upset.

Joe takes a deep breath and sits up a little, “I thought, maybe hoped, this whole time she was beating herself up over not being there for Joey. She basically forgot about him.”

“I doubt she forgot”

Joe’s head snaps to look at you, “DON’T DEFEND HER! Just because she’s your fan.”

That isn’t what you were doing. You know Joe isn't mad at you so you just look off to the side.

“She doesn’t care.” Fresh tears start falling on Joe’s cheeks.

You put your hand on Joe’s knee. “I’m just saying I don’t think any woman forgets she has a kid. Regardless of how much contact they have with the kid.

Joe stands and starts pacing again.

He huffs, “you weren’t there! She didn’t even look at him when she gave birth. She’s never touched him. She looked at him more today when she thought he might be yours than when she knew he was hers.”

That fact breaks your heart. It breaks again when you think about the great kid Joey is and how much she’s missing out on, and how much he is missing out on not having a mom. You are quiet for a long time while Joe continues to walk around the living room. He’ll pick something up and not really look at it, or card his hands through his hair. You think about Joe’s last words some more. It gives you a grave thought.

You look up at Joe again, “do you have sole custody?”

Joe stops walking, “no. Part of me always hoped she would change her mind and want to be a mom.”

You closed your eyes and sighed. “I think you need to get it. Or some sort of legal arrangement.

“No.” Joe resumes his pacing.

“I have a lawyer.”

“No.” Joe looks out the window with his back to you.

“Joey told her I was going to going to be his mom in a year to two. What if she sees him as a way to get money.”

Joe still doesn’t turn around to look at you, “I don’t have any money.”

“I know.” You pause before saying more. You weren’t thinking about his money. You had more than you needed and wouldn’t be against paying her off if money is all that she wanted. You just didn’t want Joey to be used, you wanted him to have a relationship with his mom because she loves him. “Joe, we live in the midwest. The mother almost always wins custody. We could lose him.”

Joe turns to you, “We? He’s NOT your son. We don’t need your money. We don’t need YOU.”

“Fine.” You get up and leave. Joe doesn’t stop you.


	3. Chapter 3

Joe is sitting in his apartment on one end of the sofa while Joey is draped awkwardly off the other end watching a movie on the iPad that’s laying on the ground. He said holding it was hard. Joe was trying to get a hold of you for the third day in a row. Your phone kept going to voicemail, which wasn’t even helpful since it was full. Joe sighed and hung up.  Leaving a fourth voicemail would have felt stalker-like anyways. . He reread the letter in his hand. It was from a lawyer Joey’s mom, Nicole hired to try and get joint custody and child support. When Joe got it out of the mailbox he was exasperated in a loving way because he thought it was a follow up to the letter from a different lawyer he got yesterday stating their services were paid for in the event they were needed, plus there was a lawyer in the state of New York on stand by since that is where Joey was born. He knew the first letter was your doing. Joe tapped on your name at the top of his favorites screen to call you again. He needed to grovel for forgiveness. Voicemail again. Voicemail still full. Fuck. How did everything go downhill so quickly?  _ Oh right _ , Joe thinks,  _ this is completely my fault _ .

++++++++

You were sitting in the bathtub in a fancy 5 star hotel in downtown New York City almost fully submerged. You left just enough of your face out so you could breathe. You should probably get out soon since the water had cooled. However, the cold water matched your mood better. It felt slightly ridiculous to be in a hotel in the same city where you had an apartment. That apartment was full of memories of Joe. In your kitchen, you pictured Joe standing behind you with his head on your shoulder waiting for the coffee to finished brewing. The living room made you think of Joe’s terrible practice acceptance for best performance in a horror movie. Apparently in his fictional universe accepting an award for a horror performance required screaming like he was still in a horror movie. The bedroom was definitely off limits. You squeezed your eyes shut thinking of how bad it would be to go back to the house. You for sure can’t go back there. 

You reach for your phone before you remembered you left it on the plane. The plane hadn’t come back to New York yet. You didn’t really want to talk to anyone, which is why you hadn’t replaced it in the past 3 days. You just wanted to see if Joe had contacted you yet.

++++++++

Joe sat in your favorite cozy chair in your living room. He had come over to rake your leaves while he waited for Joey to get off the bus here. He was impressed that he was able to keep it together since the whole time he was working on the leaves all he could picture was the day the three of you played in the leaves. He didn’t even know if you were still in town or not. He was guessing not since the house had been completely dark. As far as he could tell nothing had moved since the morning after Halloween. It was November 5th now. The glass he left in the sink before leaving for the zoo was still there. Surely, you must not be then.

++++++++

Joe was partly awake when suddenly Joey pounced on his bed. 

“Dad! Where’s Y/N?”

Joe sighed. He didn’t know what to say. Should he say oh well the mother you’ve never met showed up and made me lose my mind and then possibly lose the love of my life? Probably not a good idea. Though the lie that slips from his lips probably isn’t the best parenting either.

“She had to go to New York for some emergency work.”

Joey scrunched up his face, “that’s an emergency.”

Joe wanted to kick himself for the lie and for how terrible it was. “That’s what she said buddy. Get your bookbag ready. I’ll try to call her. See when she’ll be back.”

Joe got his phone from the nightstand. He tried not to look at the number of outgoing calls to you. Joe sat up straight when the phone actually rang.

Your voice was monotone, missing the warmth and joy it usually had, “Hello.”

Joe froze. He didn’t know what to say since he hadn’t expected an answer. He settled on, “you were right. Nicole wants custody and child support.”

He heard what sounded like a sniffle. “You were right too. You don’t need me. This is my fault. Please just use the lawyer. Have a good life Joe.”

The line was dead. You hung up.

Joey ran back into the room, “Is she on the phone?” He sounded so excited it broke Joe’s heart just about as much as the realization you might be done with him. 

“Sorry buddy, she’s not.”

Joey frowned and turned around.

Joe got up to get ready to drop Joey off for school. 

Joe sat in his car in the grade school parking lot watching Joey walk in. He tapped his phone against the steering wheel a few times. At least he knew your phone was on. He unlocked it to text you

_ JM: Come back from hiding. I love you _

_ Y/N: I love you too. I’m not hiding. I just went back to my real life. _

_ JM: so, what were we? Were you just playing house with Joey and me till you got bored? _

_ Y/N: You know damn well that’s not what you were _

_ JM: Why did you leave town? _

_ Y/N: it’s for the best _

_ JM: Joey misses you _

_ Y/N: That’s not fair _

_ JM: Come home. We love you _

You stopped replying. Damn, Joe thought to himself, now I’m a manipulative asshole instead of just a regular asshole. Bringing Joey into it really wasn’t fair, despite the fact that Joey did miss you. Joe decided to send one more text

_ JM: I’m sorry for bringing Joey into it. He does miss you but I shouldn’t have done that. _

_ Y/N: Please use the lawyer. Keep using the address for school.  _

Joe decided you not immediately selling the house was a good sign. Maybe you’d be back. Joe had one more idea of something insane he could do to get you back here. 

++++++++

You were sitting at your kitchen island staring at a piece of sheet music. You closed your eyes. You could picture Joe’s face first thing in the morning, smiling at you far too early in the morning. It felt like a fresh stab to the heart. Your muse for happy music was gone. You thought about calling him for the 200th time. That’s all it ever was though, just thoughts of calling. You turned your phone over to stare at it. Maybe you’d follow through this time. Not that anything about the situation could be fixed. You glanced between your blank sheet music and silent phone. The phone rang. It was the front desk of your building.

You waited at the elevator. You felt sweaty despite being dressed in just shorts and a t-shirt in late November. The elevator dinged, the doors opening to reveal your two favorite men in the world. Joey ran to you with his arms open. You dropped to your knees so you could intercept his hug.

He squeezed your neck tight, “we came for Thanksgiving!”

You couldn’t help but smile, “I see that!”

Joey stepped back from you, “are you done with your emergency work yet?”

You looked up at Joe then back to Joey, “maybe.”

Joey hugged you again, “I hope so.”

Joe tapped Joey on the shoulder, “Joey do you think you can go find the grey bedroom? I need to talk to Y/N.”

Joey rolled his eyes, “I’ve seen you kiss before.”

Joe tilted his head at his son, “dude, please?”

“Then will Y/N come find me?”

You tickled Joey’s side, “yes, I will.”

Joey ran up your stairs. Joe followed you into the kitchen. You stood against the counter with Joe about 3 feet in front of you.

Joe took a deep breath, “how mad are you that we just showed up?”

You folded your bottom lip into your mouth, “I’m not mad at you at all.”

Joe looked at the ground, “I took my anger out on you. That was wrong. I’m so sorry.”

“I know.”

Joe took a step closer to you. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I do need you.”

You looked at the ground this time, “no. You don’t.”

“I do.” Joe reached out to hold you, but you backed up. “My life is better with you in it.”

You closed your eyes, willing yourself not to cry. “You can move into the house on Maple still. It’s all paid for. Let the address give Joey a better education. You don’t need me though. I just bring problems.”

Joe put his hand on your arm. “No. You bring me… you bring us love. You bring light and music into our lives.”

You laughed once under your breath, “I’ll send you my CDs.”

“I meant it figuratively too. You did help Joey find music though, which he loves and it makes him so happy.”

You looked out the window, “Joey can still contact me… or something. I don’t know.”

Joe’s voice was firm. “No.”

“What? No?”

“You are who he wants for a mom. You’re who I want for his mom.”

A tear slid down your cheek, “I’m not going to be around. I travel the world for my job. I’m planning out the next time I do it.”

“We’ll make it work.” Joe grabbed for your hips but you move out of his grasp.

“You guys can stay for however long you have plane tickets for, but I’m not coming back.” Another few tears fell. You can’t look at Joe. You don’t stop him this time when he steps closer and puts his arms around you. You start crying in ernest. 

Joe rubs your back as you cry, “come back with us Sunday. Please?”

You step out of his arms and wipe your eyes, “no.” You go up stairs to find Joey.

++++++++

Joe pushes himself up off the bed. Joey was finally asleep. He had been saying all the things he wanted to do in New York while they were there. It was much more than could happen in one weekend. Joe had spent a lot of Joey’s life telling him bedtime stories about stuff in New York so Joe really only had himself to blame for the really long list. Joe left the bedroom to try and find you. 

He knocked on your bedroom door. It was slightly open so he looked inside. The bed was still made but you weren't in there. Joe went downstairs. He found you sitting on the kitchen floor with a glass of water next to you. You had your hands covering your eyes but your shoulders were shaking like you were crying. Joe sat down next to you. You leaned against him instead of moving away like he expected. Joe put his arm around you. You wrapped your arms around his waist. When you started crying more, Joe kissed your forehead. Joe assumed from your conversation when they arrive this wasn’t about him yelling at you, or not fully. Joe decided to tell you all the things he wanted to for the past three weeks.

“I love you. I’m going to wait till you’re ready to come home. It is your home you know. This place is lovely, but our home, our home with the three of us is loving. More so with you there. We can make it work. I already have a plan on how it will work. When you’re ready for me to tell you what it is, let me know. Joey thinks we are still together. I don’t really know if we are or aren’t. I really hope we are. I’m not telling Joey differently. I’d like it if you would call him sometimes. You don’t have to talk to me. I know I messed up and I’m truly sorry. It won’t happen again. I’m going to wait for you to come back to us. You can do whatever you want with whoever you want. I’m going to wait until you tell me there’s no chance for you and me.”

You start sobbing more so Joe pulls you into his lap.

“I know I said you are who Joey and I want for his mom. You're also who I want for my wife someday.”

You nuzzled into Joe’s chest so he just held you there for as long as you’d left him. Joe wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard you softly say you were going to go to bed. He followed you out of the kitchen and up the stairs. The room Joey was in was a floor higher than your bedroom. Joe was surprised when you stopped on the landing outside your bedroom and turned to him. You looked up at him so Joe took a step closer to you. You didn’t back up so he reached out to place a hand on your waist. You stay still. Joe reached up with his other hand to cup your face. You leaned into his touch. Another tear fell onto your cheek. Joe wiped it away with his thumb. You shift your weight and are just a little bit closer to Joe. Joe steps even closer to you and you place a hand on his chest.

Joe tries his luck. Barely above a whisper he asks, “can I kiss you?”

You nod so Joe places a delicate kiss on your lips.

Joe rests his forehead against yours, ‘I love you.”

You take a slow breath, “I love you too Joe.”

Joe takes a step back but leaves his hands on you. Your hands are still on his arm and chest.

He decided to press his luck further. “If I don’t take it as a sign you’re ready to come back, can I sleep next to you?”

Joe sees the slightest bit of a smile on your lips, “I’d like that.”

Joe smiles wide, “good. Me too.”

Joe kisses you again, deeper than before. You move your hand to the back of his neck, holding him against your lips. Joe tilts his head and you swipe your tongue against his lips. Joe opens his mouth to give you access. The kiss gets heavy. You grab onto him as you back up towards your bed. You fall backwards onto it. Joe wiggles between your legs. He ruts his hips against yours. You wrap your legs around his waist. Joe pulls back from your lips and holds your face.

“I can’t make love to you and not have you come home with us.”

You take a deep breath.

Joe slightly reconsiders, “or maybe I should so you get a refresher of how good it is as an incentive to come back.”

Joe hears a sound he didn’t know he was desperate to hear again.

You laugh.

Joe lets out an appreciative sigh, “oohhhh there it is. That’s the best noise there is.”

You start crying again. Shit. You start shaking. 

Joe kisses your cheek, “baby, I need you to talk to me…. please…just.. what is it? I’ll fix it. Just talk to me.”

You choke out, “I can’t”

“You can’t talk to me?”

“Not that… I can’t.”

Joe moves you both so he’s spooning you. He holds you against him as tight as he can.

Joe asks you a question he doesn’t know if he wants the answer to. “Are you done with me?”

You move like you’re trying to get closer to him, “I don’t know.”

Joe kissed the side of your neck. He wished more than anything you would just talk to him. “I’m here till you do know.”

Joe holds you as close as he can until you fall asleep in his arms. 

++++++++

Joey comes jumping into your bed in the morning. Joe has his arms wrapped around you still. You guys must not have moved all night. Joey squirms around on top of you guys until Joe moves enough for Joey to fall between you two.

Joey cheers, “it’s parade time!”

You laugh and grab the remote for the TV from the drawer next to your bed. Joe sits up against the pillows. Joey tucks himself into Joe’s side. You scoot next to Joey. Joe puts his arm over Joey’s shoulders and rests his hand on your shoulder. You look over at him. Your eyes feel heavy from crying so much last night. Joe gives you half a smile. You can’t help but smile back. You missed that face so much. You press a kiss to his fingers on your shoulder. Joe picks up his hand and strokes your cheek. Joey has been watching this and scrunches up his face in disgust when you look at him. You make the same face back and he giggles.

During a commercial for the parade, Joey turns to you. “You’re here writing songs?”

You nod, “yes.”

Joey smiles proudly, “I wrote some songs.”

You grin at him, “oh yeah? I bet they are great.”

Joey bounces a little, “do you want to hear them?”

His enthusiasm is adorable, “Of course I do!!”

Joey’s eyes get huge, “do you have a piano in this house?”

“Yes I do. It’s in the room right by your.. the bedroom you slept in.”

Joey sits at the piano and tells you to sit by him.

Joe laughs, “Joey, use your manners buddy.”

Joey uses a sarcastic tone, “will you sit with me please?” 

You laugh because it’s the first time you’ve heard him talk like that. You look at Joe. It’s like you can hear his thoughts of how he only has himself to blame for his son being sarcastic like he is. You sit down next to Joey.

Joey starts playing. Joe stands behind the bench. He puts on hand on Joey’s shoulder and the other on the nape of your neck. Joey asks you to play the left hand pants.

“I’m going to improvise. Just try to keep up.”

You crack up and look up at Joe. He leans down and kisses you. You look at Joey when he pulls away.

Joey shrugs, “my teacher said it’s healthy for kids to see their parents kiss. I thought food was healthy so I don’t know what she means.

Joe kisses you again, “it’s healthy. Like that broccoli you love to make us eat.

Joey laughs, “I like broccoli now.”

++++++++

Joey, Joe, and you end up having a great thanksgiving weekend. You had close enough ingredients in your kitchen for Joe and you to make a thanksgiving dinner. You guys spend most of Friday in your apartment. Joe and you agreed it would be too crazy out to try and do anything. Joey wants to make cookies. Joe runs out to get some flour. It feels like you have your family back. It makes you incredibly happy but also kills you a little at the same time. You know you can’t keep it. They’ll go home Sunday. You’ll stay here. You remind yourself it’s for the best. Joe doesn’t try to get you to talk to him again. Every time you try to talk to him you start crying and can’t get the words out. You guys fall asleep wrapped up in each other. Saturday night when you go to bed, Joe kisses you goodnight. It’s like a movie makeout scene in slow motion. You think about how much of a bad idea it would be if you were with him one last time. You reach under the hem of Joe’s shirt. He tells you no and you know instantly he’s right. It would hurt way too much when he’s gone again. Not that it’s not going to already.

++++++++

Sunday morning when they are leaving, you get down on your knees to be eye to eye with Joey. 

“You know I love you, right?”

Joey nods, “yes. I love you too. I hope you write good songs.” Joey hugs you tightly.

“I’ll try my best. They won’t be as good as yours though.”

When you stand Joe pulls you tight against him. He whispers in your ear, “I’m going to still move into the house like you said to. We’ll be ready for you when you can come back.” Joe continues loud enough for Joey to hear, “I love you.”

You smile with tears in your eyes, “I love you, too.”

Joe kisses you with tongue.

Joey laughs, “did you just lick her mouth?”

You laugh.

Joe ruffles his son’s hair, “you’ll understand someday.”

++++++++

Joe feels like he’s a ghost without you there, just moving through his life without really feeling anything. It’s probably worse now since they moved into your house here in town. Except for when Joey is home. Joe loves his son more than anything or anyone in this world. He knows he’ll be okay as long as he has Joey. Joe just got a glimpse of what his life could be like. He doesn’t know what to do to get it back. He knows there something you’re holding back. He’s determined to be there when you’re ready to let him in again. 

Joey is at a friend’s slumber party so Joe is wallowing. He’s sitting out at the fire pit. The fire is almost enough to warm him. He pulls out his phone to look at your Instagram. He missed a post notification. It’s a video of you in the recording studio. One of your old songs is playing over the other sounds in the video so he can’t hear your voice talking. He still prefers your singing voice live. You look lovely. Joe notices your smile is just the tiniest bit brighter when you’re with Joey and him.

As long as Joe is pining for you, he decided to try and call you. 

Your voice is more cheerful than the last time he called you, “Hi Joe.”

Joe smiles because he thinks you might be glad he called, “hey love.”

“What are you boys up to tonight?”

Joe likes that you ask about Joey too, “Joey’s at a friend’s. I’m out sitting by the fire pit.”

“Isn’t that freezing?”

Joe hummed, “I have a coat. And the fire.”

You made a soft noise. “Right.”

“What are you doing?” Joe picked at a stray string on the cushion.

“Recording. Though I’m eating dinner right now.”

Joe remembered the lyrics he stole from you late one night, “are you recording my song?”

You were quiet for a few seconds. Joe could hear a shuffling noise, then the background noises on your end were quieter. Your voice was soft, “they are all your song Joe.”

Joe felt tears in his eyes. He didn’t know if he could hear multiple songs on the radio knowing they were about him and not be able to hold you afterwards. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Joe. That’s not the problem.”

Joe sat up a little. Were you actually going to talk to him? “What IS the problem, baby? Let me fix it.”

“I can’t do this right now. If I cry, I won’t be able to sing. Not at the quality your songs deserve.”

Joe wipes his tears and sniffles. He slouches back down, “It’s almost Christmas.”

You sounded sad again, “I know.”

“We had plans.”

“Fuck.” Joe hears you sniffle now. “I’m sorry.”

Joe took a deep breath, “I’m sorry too. My parents aren’t coming anymore.” Both Joe and you were silent. Joe decided to keep talking. “I didn’t call to make you sad.”

“I’m not making any promises about you and me.”

Joe wasn’t sure what you meant. “Okay?”

“I’ll be there for Christmas.”

Joe sat up completely this time, “you will?”

“For Joey.”

Joe smiled, “He’ll be happy. He asked.”

You sounded happier again, “will you send me his Christmas list?”

“Of course.”

“Joe.”

“Yes?” Joe was ready to say he just wanted you if you asked what he wanted for Christmas.

“When I’m there, I’ll try to explain… everything.”

Joe sighed, “I just need to see you.”

“I’ll let you know what day I’ll be there.”

Joe tapped his toe on the ground, “Can I request a Christmas present?”

You laughed lightly, “of course”

“Can I hug you when I see you?” Joe knew you hugged him hello at thanksgiving, and kissed him multiple times, but more time had passed and you were still gone.

“Yes. Do you think you and Joey could pick me up at the airport?”

Joe closed his eyes, “Both Joey and I would love that.”

++++++++

As soon as you start walking down the steps of the plane Joey runs towards you. He has a small poinsettia plant in his hands. You kneel down to hug him.

He hands you the plant, “this is for you.”

You smile brightly at him, “thank you! I love it!”

Joey giggles as you squeeze his side, “there are more at the house.”

You make your eyes big, “is there a tree?”

Joey holds onto your coat and swivels his shoulders, “yes, but there aren’t any ornaments yet.”

You gasp, “why not?”

Joey looks up at his dad who is standing next to him now. Joe somehow looks more handsome than the last time you saw him. You blame that whole absence makes the heart grow fonder bull.

Joe smiles, “Joey insisted you had to be here for that.”

You stand and Joe holds out his arms to hug you. Instead you grab the front of his coat and pull him into a kiss. Joe must be surprised because it takes him a second to kiss you back. When he does, he wraps his arms around you and lifts you off the ground a little.

He gives you another quick peck after putting you back down, “that was surprising.”

You bit your lip, “yeah.”

Joey holds both Joe and your hands and you guys walk to the car. Joey insist you sit in the back of the car with him. His booster seat is in the middle of the backseat. You sit behind Joe. Joey tells you all about the rabbit his kindergarten class just got. His name suggestion of Inky won the vote. Joey is very proud. Joey tells you he wrote a letter to Santa and he also saw Santa at the mall.

Joey leans towards you and whispers, “do you want to know what I told Santa I wanted?”

You hunch down in your seat so your ear is by Joey’s mouth, “what?”

He holds his hands up to cup your ear, “I told him I wanted you to finish recording so you could come back home.”

You hear Joe’s head fall back against the headrest. Despite Joey’s whispering, you know Joe heard. Joey’s request is hard to hear. You know it is for Joe too. You sit up and kiss the top of Joey’s head. You can’t get yourself to explain everything to Joe. You have no idea how to go about telling Joey. You hear a sniffle from the front seat. You see Joe bring his hand up to his face. You unbuckle your seatbelt and shift to the front of the seat so you can wrap your arms around Joe and the seat. You slide one hand down the collar of his shirt and put the other over his shirt but still on his chest. Joe puts his hand on top of yours and squeezes it. Your face is awkwardly pressed against the back of the headrest but you don’t really mind.

When you get out of the car Joey runs into the house. Joe stands right outside his door after he shuts it. You start to walk by him. He grabs your waist and spins you so you’re against the side of the car. His mouth is hovering over yours.

He looks at your lips, “is this okay?” You nod. He kisses you hard. Your lips follow his when he pulls back. Joe laughs lightly then places a soft kiss on your lips.

You rest your head against his chest and close your eyes, “I love you, Joe.”

Joe holds you and rocks you a little, “I love you too, baby. So much. Thank you for coming for the holiday.”

Joey yells for both of you inside the house. 

Joe chuckles, “we’re being summoned.”

++++++++

Joe is already laying in bed when you finish brushing your teeth. You put your legs under the covers but sit against the headboard. 

Joe smiles over at you, “You’re all the way over there. I’m not sure if you remember, but this side of the bed is more comfortable. You should probably come over here and cuddle.”

You laugh. “Do you want to cuddle or do you want to talk?”

“Dear god I want to talk.” Joe moved to the middle of the bed. He picked up your hand from your lap. “How long are you back for?”

You shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“Okay.” Joe played with your fingers. “Do you want me to talk first? Tell you how much we need you here again?”

You sighed, “but you don’t.”

Joe sat up against the headboard next to you, “you know I only said that cause I was mad at someone else, right?”

You look forward, “yes, I do.”

Joe threw the covers out of the way and moved again so he was sitting next to your legs and facing you. “Then what’s wrong?”

You closed your eyes, took a few deep breaths trying not to start crying. The most wonderful man in the world was staring at you. He wanted nothing more than to just have you with him. It was the exact thing you wanted as well, but couldn’t have. Staying with him would be the most selfish thing you could do. You opened your eyes. Joe’s soft hazel eyes were boring into yours. You never wanted to stop staring at them.

“If I stay, you’re going to lose Joey.”

Joe teased, “why? Cause he likes you more than me?”

You huffed out a tiny laugh, “no.” Shaking your head at him, you try to explain, “I initially left your house because I was hurt by your words. I called a lawyer the next morning because I figured I could wear you down about that. They told me if I remain in your life, there was a good chance Nicole would get custody. My fame and nomadic life would only be seen as a detriment to a midwestern judge. I can’t ruin your life. I can’t do that to Joey.”

Joe looked horrified, “the lawyer told you that? I want a different one.”

“You don’t have the lawyer that told me that. I called a different one. She’s your lawyer.”

Joe half smiled, “good.”

“But I asked her opinion about what the other one said. She didn’t disagree. She was confident in her ability to make a good case without mentioning me. She also said that the judges here that preside over these cases love to side with the mothers. She thought I would look like a force to pull Joey away from the possibility of interacting with his mom, move you and him away from her.”

Joe ran his hand up and down your leg, watching his hand. “So you left.”

“Yes. I won’t let that happen.”

Joe tapped his knuckles on your knee. He looked up at you. There were tears forming in his eyes, “you left FOR us despite it hurting you?”

You raised your eyebrows at him, “of course I did.”

Joe gave you a soft smile, “I love you… so much.”

“I love you too.” Of course you loved him. That’s what was making everything so hard. 

Joe hummed and looked about the room. His eyes meet yours again, “did you tell her Nicole already knows Joey thinks of you as a mom?” You shook your head. “Okay, then we are calling tomorrow and asking what if Nicole already told her lawyer that Joey said you were going to be his mom.”

You hadn’t really considered that Nicolle’s lawyer already knew about your involvement in their lives and you couldn’t stop him from building a case around that.

“Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. That’s going to be an expensive call.”

Joe sounded serious, “I’ll pay for it myself.”

You leaned forward to kiss him. You didn’t mind paying you just didn’t know what else to say. “She doesn’t have your billing address.”

Joe kissed you, “I live with you.”

You laugh, “oh yeah.”

Joe sat back, “if she thinks Nicole’s lawyer already knows and is going to use that information. I’m going to put my foot down about you coming home. That damage you think you’ll cause would already be done. There’d be no point in staying away.”

You sighed, “Ignoring the custody thing, what if my fame does ruin his life? Your lives?”

Joe countered, “what if you give him a loving mom? What if you make him see his dad happier? What if you show him music and that he has a natural talent at hit and it brings joy to his life?

You scrunch up your face, “I guess you have some good points.”

Joe grabs your legs and pulls them so you’re laying down on your back now. He holds himself over you, propping himself up on his elbows on either side of your head, with a broad grin on his face, “good enough that you’ll stay?

You brush his cheek with your hand, “I have about two weeks left of recording scheduled in New York. I can do the rest from here I think.”

Joe’s face lights up, “so yes?”

You nod vigorously, “yes.”

Joe slides his elbows up the mattress making his body press flush against you. He kisses you deeply. You can feel it in your whole body. It feels like fire when all you’ve ever known is cold. You could get lost in this feeling. 

After about ten minutes of heavy making out, Joe pulls your leg to his hip. You break away from his lips, “Joey is asleep.”

Joe groans, “it’s healthy for him for his parents to be affectionate.”

You laugh heartily, “don’t think that extends to him hearing us. I’m not saying we can never have sex with him in the house. I just don’t think I’ll be able to be quiet tonight. I’ve missed you too much.”

Joe wiggles his bulge against you, “so you came back because you miss my penis.” He kisses you again.

Between kisses you say, “it is nice”

Joe scoffs, “nice?”

“Giant.”

Joe makes an amused noise, “better. Can I kiss you all night then? Make up for lost time.”

You card a hand through his hair, “yes please.” The making out resumes. After a while Joe suddenly rolls off you.

Joe stares at the ceiling. “I’m a bad dad.”

You hitch an eyebrow up at him, “What? Oh is this because you don’t care if your son hears you have sex?”

Joe laughs, “cause I’m trying to figure out how to occupy him on Christmas Eve for a couple hours.” Joe head falls to the side to look at you, “did you buy him any loud toys?”

You cover your face with both hands and laugh into your palms, “no”

“Damn.” Joe looks back at the ceiling.

You roll onto your side towards him, “I do however have a large bank account that we can use to pay a babysitter a crazy amount of money to watch him the day after Christmas.”

“Ellie, the 16 year-old that lives on the corner?”

“Ohh good idea.” You move closer to Joe, “hell she’s 16 I’ll just buy her a car if she comes over.”

Joe chuckles, “I’m going to have to make it good if you’re getting her a car. So you really are staying?”

You gently push him and roll him onto his back with you on top of him, “You’re never getting rid of me.”

Joe rests his hands on your ass, “best Christmas present ever.”

  
  


  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Your life had probably changed more in the last 7ish months that ever before in your life. Or at least changed in a way you never expected. When you returned to your hometown you figured you’d have some wine nights with your best friend, sleep by the pool, and more or less bore yourself enough that you’d rather face the paparazzi than stay there another day. Instead, you met the love of your life and his adorable son. Not exactly part of your summer plans. They brought a kind of happiness into your life that was hard to describe. Basically you would do anything for them and with them. Just being around them made everything better. You’d been all over the globe for your career but were content just sitting at home with them doing nothing as long as you could be in their presence.

So of course when you got done working on your album in New York a day earlier than you planned, first thing you did was change your flight home. Back to what had become your true home with Joey and Joe. You decided to surprise them. You asked the driver to stop at the end of the driveway so they didn’t see the car or hear the door shut. The front door was unlocked making it easier for you to come in unnoticed. Joey and Joe were at the kitchen island. Joey was on a stool as they looked over something on the counter. They had their backs to you.

Joey started to wiggle excitedly, “she’s going to love this.” He seemed to be looking down into a cake pan.

Joe suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth. You thought maybe he noticed you until he groaned. You assume he’d be making happier noises if he saw you.

Joey looked over at him, “what?”

Joe sucked in air over his teeth, “I don’t think she likes icing. I think that’s why she doesn’t like cake and why we made rice krispy treats instead of cake.”

Joey dropped the icing pipette on the counter, “DAD!” He sounded so exasperated with Joe.

You giggled and decided to chime in, “I love it. I love you guys more though.”

Both of them turned around quickly. Joey’s stool almost tipped he moved so fast. Luckily Joe was faster and steadied it before Joey fell over. Joey hopped down and skidded over to you. You dropped to your knees to hug him. He almost knocked you over with his hug.

Joey stepped back after hugging you, “do you have to go back?”

You shook your head, “No. Well maybe in March, but I’m going to try and do it when you’re on spring break so you and your dad can come with.”

Joey did a little happy dance. Joe ruffled his hair, “skoot, let me hug her.” You stood up and into Joe’s embrace. He squeezed you so tight you could barely take a breath. 

Joe whispered in your ear, “do you like icing?”

“No.” You giggled

++++++++++

Your first night home Joe was sitting in bed as you finished brushing your teeth. He made grabby hands at you as you exited the bathroom. You laughed as you crawled in next to him. 

You curled against his side, “so you never told me your plan on how we are going to make this work with me having to travel eventually and all that. I have some ideas but I want to hear yours first.”

“Okay.” Joe clapped his hands then rubbed his palms together, “if you already have tour stuff planned out, that’s fine but this I what I was thinking. Joey and I live here. During the lead up to your album release you stay here as much as you can. I’d like it if you could be back for weekends. The weekends you can’t, maybe Joey and I can come to you. We can spend summers and school breaks wherever you need to be. Similar situation when you go on tour, or even the reverse. You’re here during the week then we all go to your tour on the weekend. Maybe you could do the parts in North America during the school year and then overseas stuff during the summer so Joey and I can come with. If that’s not okay with you, we can discuss getting him a tutor so we can be there the whole time. I’d want to talk to someone with a strong background in education. I think he needs the social interaction at school. But he also needs you. So do I. This is also ignoring any custody changes for now.”

You smiled broadly at him then laugh.

Joe’s face fell, “what? Is that a terrible plan?”

You swung your legs over his, “no! It’s almost exactly what I was going to say. I’ve put off as much of the plans as I can until you meet with the lawyers and Nicole.”

Joe kissed your cheek, “let’s not worry about that part for now.” Joe ran his tongue over his lips, “can I touch you now?”

You smirked, “our legs are touching. Did you want to hold hands or something?”

Joe shook his head at you, “maybe to start. I had some other ideas though.” Joe trailed his index finger from your ankle up to your thigh. The tickling sensation made you involuntarily shake your leg. 

You hooked a finger under his chin to bring his mouth towards your, “if you start touching me in certain places there’s a good chance I’ll touch you back.”

Joe hummed, “I like the sound of that.” Joe kissed you deeply as he shifted so he was on top of you on the bed.

++++++++

A few days after you came home, you woke up to Joe removing pillow from under your head rather unceremoniously.

You whined, “why?”

Joe was removing the pillow from its case, “baby get up.”

You rolled over and tried to grab another pillow before Joe stole it too, “I don’t want to.”

Joe sighed, “I already went over this with Joey. The sheets need to be washed.”

“Why does that need to happen this exact minute?”

“Grandma and grandpa are coming.” You sat up a little bit. Joe started taking the sheets off. “Can I get out of bed first, or are you going to put me in the washer too?”

Joe sort of laughed, “my mom called this morning and said her and my dad are on their way to Colorado. They are stopping here on the way. They’ll be here tonight.”

“Oh! But why do our sheets need to be clean for that?” You got out of bed and helped Joe take the fitted sheet off the bed.

Joe bundled up the sheets, “I’m trying to make a good impression. I’ve never lived with a girl before. Can you put these in the wash while I vacuum?”

You scratched your head and looked off to the side.

Joe squinted at you, “do you know how to do laundry?”

You looked at the ground.

Joe’s jaw dropped, “WHO has been doing your laundry here?”

You couldn’t quite make eye contact with him. “I’ve been supporting the local economy.”

Joe snorted, “what does that mean?”

You bit your lip, “the Village Cleaners on 29th street does more than dry cleaning.”

Joe replied dryly, ‘dear god.”

You scoffed, “hey! I understand the basic concept. I’m a little spoiled. My way is just so much easier.”

Joe playfully rolled his eyes, “can you vacuum then?”

You drew breath in over your teeth.

Joe slowly closed his eyes. “Are you serious?”

Your voice sounded more pathetic than you meant to, “that vacuum is surprisingly complicated.”

Joe pinched the bridge of his nose, “okay. Some other day I am going to teach you all of these things.”

“So we are just going to cut off support to the community?” You teased.

You could tell Joe was trying not to smile at you, “I’m not paying someone to do my laundry.”

“But can I?”

Joe laughed, “you’re ridiculous. Can you go grocery shopping? We only have enough for 3 people, not 5.”

You smiled smugly, “I know how to do that.”

Joe walked over to you and kissed your forehead, “I have complete faith in you.”

++++++++

Joe’s parents were wonderful. They were warm and kind. At dinner when Joe’s mom said you guys didn’t need to clean for them, you nudged Joe under the table. You were now doing dishes while Joe was with his parents in Joey’s room telling him bedtime stories. You could hear Joe all the way downstairs. He occasionally gets really into making up his own stories. You didn’t think Joey would be asleep anytime soon. You heard footsteps behind you as you closed the dishwasher. You turned around to see Joe’s dad.

You tilted your head thinking about how you should greet him, “what do you prefer to be called?”

Joe’s dad smiled, “most people call me Joe.” You scrunched up your face and he laughed. “Are there already too many Joe’s in your house? Is Joseph better?”

You laughed lightly, “I understand passing the name down. It’s just slightly confusing.”

“I’ll have Ginnie give you some tips in the morning. I have a feeling you’ll be around a while. You can call me dad.” He smiled at you.

You looked at the counter bashfully, “I’d like that actually.”

Joseph sat down at the counter, “You can only call me that if you’re sure you’re sticking around.” 

You leaned against the counter, “I’m only leaving if Joe wants me to.”

Joe drummed his fingers on the countertop. “You left before because you thought it was best.” You can tell by his tone he’s not calling you out on it or accusing you of wanting to leave again. It's more so just a general concern for his son.

You took a deep breath, “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still worried that I’ll mess up Joey’s life.”

Joseph smiled, “I still worry I’ll mess up Joe’s.”

You smiled back at him, “I personally think he turned out pretty close to perfect. I’m incredibly biased though.”

Joseph chuckled, “pretty close to perfect? You aren’t going to suck up and tell me I raised a perfect son?”

“He started taking the sheets off the bed this morning while I was still in it. Ask me tomorrow.”

Joe and Ginnie came downstairs. Joe stood behind you, resting his chin on your shoulder. 

“What are you two talking about?”

Joe’s dad answered him, “how imperfect you are.”

Joe scoffed, “hey! I want you guys to get along but I don’t know how to feel about this.”

Joseph put his hand over his wife’s as she sat down next to him. “Ginnie, Y/N needs some advice on how to deal with all of us having the same name.”

She laughed, “I just try to avoid using names. Just say hey and hope the right one responds.”

The rest of their visit went as well. They ended up staying a few days. Joey wanted to show them all his favorite places to go. When they left, Joe’s mom Ginnie gave you a tight hug, whispering welcome to the family in your ear.

++++++++

Joe was at work one day and he apparently hadn’t answered his phone when Joey’s school called to say he started throwing up. You picked him up and now you were sitting next to him on the bathroom floor. It had been about 20 minutes since the last time he threw up so you went downstairs to get him some water. You sat back down next to him and felt his forehead. It was burning up.

Joey took the glass from you, “thanks mom… I mean Y/N”

“You’re welcome.”

Joey spoke so softly you couldn’t hear him. All you heard was “can I”

You leaned closer to him, “what did you say?”

Joey’s voice was soft and hesitant, though loud enough you could hear, “can I call you mom? Are you my mom? You and dad aren’t married.”

Your heart felt like it was overflowing and might burst with affection. You put your arm around Joey, “do you want me to be your mom?”

Joey’s voice was his normal volume now. “Yes. I told you that.” He almost sounded like a teenager. You half expected him to say duh.

You laughed a little, “okay good. Cause I want to be your mom.”

Joey seemed deep in thought. There was a crease between his eyebrows. It still shocked you how much he looked like Joe when he was thinking. “You and dad aren’t married. Do you want to marry dad?” He looked over at you.

“Yes. Can I be your mom now anyways? I don’t know when I’ll marry your dad but I want to.”

Joey moved so he was laying down next to the toilet on the pillow you had brought him when he first got home. “I’ll talk to him when I feel better,” he stated matter of factly.

You laughed, “okay Joey.”

“Mom?” Joey said it slowly like he was testing how it felt to call you that. “Can I watch the iPad?”

“Yeah, I’ll go get it. Do you need anything else?”

Joey lifted his head, “another pillow so you can lay down too.”

Joe came home about an hour later to find both of you asleep on the bathroom floor. He took a picture before waking you up. He nudged your feet to wake you. You stirred and looked up at him.

“Y/N, let’s move him to his bed.” Joe helped you stand up before he picked up Joey in his arms. He held Joey’s head against his shoulder. Joe’s heart broke a little seeing Joey sick. It rarely happened. Joey grumbled a little. When Joe put him down, Joey reached out to both of you. Joe and you got in Joey’s bed on either side of him. 

Joe moved the hair off Joey’s forehead as Joey quickly started to fall back asleep. Joe smiled over at you, “I think we need to get him a bigger bed in case this happens again.” Joey turned on his side so you were able to move more towards the middle and get comfortable laying down too. Joe watched both of you sleep for a little bit. He hated that Joey was sick but he could lay here with the two of you forever. Everything he needed was on this twin size bed. Joe reached over to brush his hand over your cheek. You moved towards his touch in your sleep. Joe smiled and pulled out his phone from his pocket. He pulled up the website for the local jewelry store.

++++++++

Joe was sitting next to Joey with his arm around him in Joey’s bed. Joey was reading his own bedtime story to get practice reading aloud. Joe’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out of his pocket. Joey looked over and saw the background picture of you and him asleep on the bathroom floor from a few days earlier when Joey was sick.

“I like” Joey stopped talking and went back to reading.

Joe leaned closer, “what?”

Joey looked up at Joe, “Can I call Y/N mom?”

Joe squeeze Joey’s shoulder, “of course! I know you have said you want her as mom before. If she feels like a mom to you, you should call her that. I think she’d really like that. I know I would.”

Joey smiled, “she said I could. I wanted to ask your permission before I do it al the time.” Joey closed his book.

Joe hugged his son, “aww buddy, I already know how much you guys love each other.”

Joey pulled back, “are you going to marry her?”

Joe slightly teased, “do you think I should?”

Joey glared slightly, “duh”

Joe chuckled, “you wanna know a secret?”

“Yes!”

Joe pulled his phone back out, “I’m looking for rings. Which should I get?”

++++++++

A few days after Joey was sick, you started getting sick in the middle of the night. You were laying on the floor in your bathroom this time, but you were alone. After about 10 minutes, Joe came in and sat down. He pulled at you until you rested your head in his lap. He started petting your hair.

Joe tried distracting you, “Joey told me he’s going to call you mom now.”

You smiled before feeling another wave of sickness.

Joe stood up and got a wet washcloth.

You moved to sit with your back against the bathtub. “Yeah. He has a few times. He only does it when you aren’t there.”

“He told me last night during bedtime stories. He said he wanted to ask if it was okay. I guess I have to decide if I’m cool with him calling you that.” Joe smirked and looked over at you,

You held your stomach, “don’t make me laugh! He’s such a sweet kid.”

Joe nodded, “he asked when I was going to wife you up.”

You looked at Joe skeptically, “is that what he said? He said wife me up?”

“Well no. That’s my wording.”

You wiped your face with the washcloth, “He told me he was going to talk to you about it.”

Joe laughed, “did you guys plan the whole proposal?”

You got sick again.

Joe rubbed your back, “I didn’t know you were so against it. Joey is going to be pissed.”

You laughed then coughed a few times, “stop making me laugh.”

Joe shook his head, “never. I’m going to make you explain to him it’s not happening because the idea of me proposing makes you actually vomit.”

You rested your elbows on the rim of the toilet and held your head in your hands, “I hope you get sick next.”

Joe held your hair back as you got sick again.

A few days later you were brushing your teeth. Joe walked into the bathroom and stood behind you watching you in the mirror.

He was smirking, “guess what baby?”

Through the toothpaste you asked, “what?”

“I still haven’t vomited.”

Both you and Joey were sick for two days straight. You only felt better yesterday. You didn’t really appreciate the teasing. You spit out the toothpaste, “fuck you.” You weren’t really that mad but he looked so smug.

Joe laughed, “you did that this morning already.” Joe smacked your ass and left the bathroom.

++++++++

  
  


Your friend Elisa call you one morning. She was very excited that all of her kids were in school or daycare and she had the day to do whatever she wanted. You were sitting at a little cafe eating lunch and chatting. She was in the middle of telling you a story about her youngest daughter locking everyone else out of the house when you spotted Nicole coming out of the bathroom.

Elisa tapped your arm, “hey, this is a pretty good story and you aren’t listening.”

You looked back to Elisa, “sorry. Joey’s mom is here. What am I supposed to do?” 

Elisa shrugged, “I don’t know. Be nice? Where is she? I want to see what she looks like.” Elisa sat up straight and tried to look all over the cafe without turning her body. It would have been more discreet if she just looked around.

You started laughing. You spoke under your breath, “you’ll see in a minute. She’s coming over.” Nicole was now at the edge of your table. “Hi Nicole.”

Nicole spoke really quickly and a little too loud for your taste, “I have a right to see my son.” Elisa’s eyes got huge.

You gestured to one of the open chairs, “Have a seat.”

Nicole reluctantly sat down. She looked between you and Elisa. She spoke much quieter, “he’s my son.”

“I know he is.” You hesitated. You really wanted to ask her something but didn’t want to mess things up. You also weren’t sure you wanted to hear the answer. You decided to ask anyways. Elisa was here to witness the conversation instead of it just being Nicole and you. “Can I ask you something?”

Nicole picked at a napkin on the table. “Okay.”

“Can you look at me and tell me you want to see Joey because you honestly want a relationship with him? I don’t know you. I’m sorry for assuming this might be the case… If I had no involvement in your son’s life, would you still want to get to know him? I really, truly hope so. That kid deserves all the love in the world.”

Nicole let go of the napkin and put both of her hands on top of it. She looked over at you for the first time since sitting down. “I wasn’t ready to be a mom. I hadn't planned on being one.”

You resisted the urge to put your hand on hers. You hadn’t really planned on meeting Joey, or Joe either. Not really the same thing, but it still came as a surprise. “Not everyone has to be.”

Elisa chimed in, “I still don’t know if I’m ready and I have three. They are all in daycare or preschool now. Today is one of the first days in a while I feel like I can hear myself thinking.”

Nicole laughed a little at Elisa. She picked the napkin back up and looked off behind Elisa, “Joe hates me. He’s not going to let me see him.”

“Nicole” She looked at you, “Joe has never said he hates you to me.”

She sighed, “I don’t know what all I want.”

You nudged her hand with yours, “Think about it. Tell your lawyer.”

“Okay.” Nicole stood up from the table.

“Nicole, I want Joey to have the best life. I think you do too. Take your time to think about what you want. It’s a big decision. Joe and Joey aren’t moving away or anything.” 

Nicole gave a small smile then walked back to her table. You turned to Elisa, “do you think I did any damage to Joe’s case?”

Elisa looked back at Nicole for a second, “I don’t think so. Does Joe want full custody?”

You shook your head, “no. Not necessarily. He just doesn’t want his kid whisked off by a virtual stranger. He’s stayed here instead of going back by his family just in case Nicole wanted contact. I just think everything went differently than he imagined. There weren’t any lawyers involved in the scenario he had pictured.”

++++++++ 

After a month after you ran into Nicole, Joe with his lawyer and Nicole with her have come up with an agreement for Nicole to develop a relationship with Joey. Joey will be told who she is. After that, Joey can decide if he wants to meet her. Joe will go with Joey at first. You can go after the initial meeting if Joey requests you come along. As Joey becomes more familiar with Nicole and gets to know her, he can spend time alone with her if he wants to. Joe will have full custody now so technically he can reject any plans. After a year, if Joey and Nicole have developed a relationship and want that to continue, joint custody will be discussed.

Today is the first day Joey is meeting Nicole. You can tell he’s curious. He keeps asking Joe questions since he found out his mom wants to meet him. You think he might be nervous today. He hasn’t really spoken much. Joe, Joey, and you are having a very late breakfast. He has been eating his pieces of cereal individually. 

Joey lets his spoon rest in his bowl, “why do I have to go?”

Joe stops eating his own cereal, “she’s your mother. She wants to get to know you. You said you wanted to last week.”

Joey looks over at you, “Y/N is my mom.”

You warmly smile at him, “people can have lots of parents.”

Joe added, “yeah. Some people have four. Maybe even more.”

Joey looks between both of you, the crease between his eyebrows appears, “Eli has two moms.”

“Ahhh” Joe stumbles over his words a little, “that’s… well that’s a different kind of two moms. But he’s still lucky.”

Joey whispers to Joe, “do I have to call her mom?”

Joe leans towards his son and matches his whispers, “no.”

Joey sits up. “Do I call her mother?” You try not to laugh because his tone makes it sound like mother should be followed by a word starting with F.

Joe’s shoulders are shaking, clearly he’s also trying not to laugh, “not with that tone. Maybe just don’t call her anything or call her Nicole until you decide what you want to call her.”

Joey stands up and walks over to you. You put your arm around his waist as he stands next to your chair. He cups his hand to his mouth. Joey hasn’t really mastered whispering. He really only has the tone down. You know Joe hears when he asks, “do I still get to call you mom?”

You squeeze him closer to you and press a kiss to his forehead, “of course! That’s always going to be the case. Unless you just like calling me by my name better. But I’ll always be your mom too.”

“But you have to get married first.” Joey looks over at Joe pointedly. Joe shakes his head but stops when you look at him. You raise your eyebrows at Joe.

Joe waves his hand towards you, “ignore all that. Father son stuff.”

You snort, “okay Joe.”

Joey taps your shoulder so you look back to him, “can you come with us?”

“I’ll come next time if you want to see her again. I’m going to stay here this time. I’ll get dinner ready. What do you want?”

Joey’s eyes get huge, “pizza!” It’s his favorite. You could have predicted that answer.

“Do you want it from a restaurant or do you want just the crust you can put pepperoni on yourself in crazy shapes before we cook it?”

Joey bounces on his toes a little, “crazy shapes.”

You give him another little squeeze, “okay. It will be all ready to decorate when you get back. I love you.”

Joey hugs you, “I love you too. Can I have pop for dinner?” Joey is only allowed to have pop once a month. He gives you a sheepish look and sticks his lip out a little. You’re about to give in.

Joe stands up and grabs both cereal bowls, “I’ll get you a soda on the way to the park. That way you have something to drink there.” Joey claps and runs to put his shoes on. Joe kisses your cheek as walks to the sink to put the bowls in it. He follows after Joey. 

  
  


That night Joey wanted you to read him bedtime stories. You were hesitant at first because you knew it was Joe’s favorite part of everyday. Joe just smiled and told you to have fun. You came back downstairs to find Joe with his arms crossed watching TV. Joey told you he had fun at the park but mostly mentioned the stuff he played on and a squirrel that Joey swore was talking to him. You were incredibly curious to get Joe’s side. Joe muted the TV when you sat next to him on the couch. You were sitting sideways so you could look at him. Joe grabbed your legs and moved them to his lap.

Joe didn’t need you to ask. He knew what you wanted to ask. “She was fine. Brought him a book. Also water in case he needed some and goldfish crackers.”

You hummed, “that’s very maternal.” You were pleasantly surprised.

It sounded like Joe appreciated it too, “yeah.”

You played with the hem of Joe’s tshirt sleeve, “If you want to try again with her, be a family, you can.”

Joe turned his head slowly towards you. “Don’t be fucking ridiculous.”

You paused for a second, “I’m just saying. I’d understand.”

Joe rest his head back against the couch cushions and smiled, “no. YOU are it for me.”

You winked at him, “if you change your mind, she’s the only person I will accept you leaving me for. Anyone else, I’m going to write the world’s greatest breakup song so it haunts you for the rest of your life.

Joe cracked up, “I mean… I’m not leaving you for anyone but I kinda want to hear the song. Write it. Joey needs a college fund.”

You rolled your eyes, “Joey is fine for college.”

Joe looked down at his hand tracing designs on your leg, “yeah. I already started one for him.”

You just made a soft noise of acknowledgement. You hadn’t told Joe about something yet. You probably should have asked first.

Joe looked at you again. He was too good at reading you, “what did you do?”

“Joey has a college fund from me too.”

Joe’s voice was soft, “what?”

You scratched your jaw, “it might be more of a trust.” You took a deep breath, “he might also be in my will.”

Joe squeezed your knee. He sounded surprised, “are you for real? When did you do that?”

“The day after I came back to stay in January.”

Joe put his arm around you and pulled you closer to him, “baby.”

“Don’t freak out! I also have a college fund for Elisa’s kids. After she turned down that offer to write a book about me, I put the same amount they offered her in a fund for all her kids for school. She doesn’t know yet though so don’t say anything please?”

Joe kissed you, “I’m not freaking out. I’m very touched you would do that. Wait, how did you get one in Joey’s name?”

You groaned. This part wasn’t that great. “You don’t keep your old taxes very secure. I got his social security number off of them.”

Thankfully Joe laughed. “Just while we are talking about money, I’ll sign a prenup. I’m never leaving you so it doesn’t matter to me what it would say. I don’t want any of it anyways. Just you.”

You teased him, “do you know how much I’m worth? You wanna know how much you’re signing away first?”

Joe chukled, “no? A lot? I’m sure it’s on the internet but I never looked. You probably need all the money if we break up since you can’t do laundry or vacuum.”

There was never a second you thought Joe might just be using you for your back account so you know he’s being completely serious that he never looked or cared. You rolled your eyes at him and sarcastically told him, “thanks dear. That’s kind of you to still indulge my laziness and lack of domestic skills after our divorce that will never happen.” You use a serious tone to tell him, “I don’t really care about having a prenup. I wouldn’t be surprised if my lawyer tries to convince me to get one though.”

Joe shrugged, “just tell me where to sign.” He sat up straighter than he had been, “I want something that says you’re legally Joey’s parent when we get married though. I don’t know what it would be. I don’t know if you can adopt him or how that works but yeah.”

Your mouth falls open a little, “adopt him?”

Joe brushes some hair off your cheek, “yeah. I don’t know what part of us calling you his mom makes you surprised about that.”

You poked his side and he held your hand to get you to stop, “I don’t know. It just is so... it seems different.”

Joe kissed you softly, “I don’t know how all that works since Nicole has visitation rights with him and may eventually have some custody. If it was my choice, I would pick you adopting him. I don’t want him to feel like less of your kid than our other kids.”

You smiled, “other kids?”

Joe nodded, “yeah. All 5 of them.”

“No.”

Joe raised his eyebrows, “7?”

You huffed, “really, Joe? That wasn’t my issue with your number.”

Joe looked up, thinking about it, “4”

You hummed, “ummm 2.”

Joe laughed, “okay. I like having two siblings.”

You suddenly remembered a conversation Joe and you had about a week ago, “Oh! Did your brother ever respond about going to Disney with all the kids?”

Joe laughed, “are we done with the having kids conversation then?”

You shrugged, “you’re good with two. I’m good with two. Did you want to start making them now?”

Joe slide a hand up the outside of your thigh, “I’m not against it.”

You stroked his cheek, “yeah. I’m going to make you marry me before we make a kid.”

Joe mumbled, “not really going to have to force me to marry you.” He pats your hip a couple times, “John did say they would be able to come with us.” Joe moved your legs off his lap. You thought he was just done cuddling. He stood up and extended a hand to you, “come on. Let’s go decide what position we want to conceive these two kids in.”

You shut your eyes while you laughed, “what?”

Joe waved his hand towards you again, “sex time. Let’s go.”

You giggled and let him lead you up to the bedroom.

++++++++

  
  


You are sitting at the kitchen counter replying to emails while you wait for Joe to return from dropping Joey off at Nicole’s house. Joey is spending the night at her house for the first time. You hear the door from the garage open.

Joe announces, “Joey is safely at the egg donor’s house.”

You cringe a little, “do NOT get in the habit of calling her that.”

Joe stands at the counter, “the mother’s house?” Joe sets a bottle of tequila, some limes, and a bottle of vodka down. 

You point at the bottles, “what the hell? Are we having a party?”

Joe laughs, “no. You and I have had very serious conversations about our future.” 

He stops talking so you think that’s all he’s going to day. You’re still confused, “right?”

Joe grins. He has a mischievous look in his eyes, “but there are still a lot of things we haven’t done together.” 

You reply dryly, “I’m not letting you put it up my butt.” Joe had a sex dream this happened and he likes to bring it up from time to time.

“I’ll let you do it to me if I can do it to you.” He wiggles his eyebrows at you.

That offer definitely piqued your curiosity. “We’ll come back to that topic. Explain the booze.”

Joe is distracted for a few seconds by the fact you wanted to talk about having anal sex in exchange for him letting you peg him. He shook his head to clear those thoughts for now and went back to explaining. “You and I are getting drunk tonight. That way we know what the other is like drunk.”

You think about it for a second, “wouldn’t it be more telling if one of us gets drunk tonight and then other has to take care of them. Another night we switch? That’s a LOT of alcohol. I don’t think either of us will remember tonight if we drink all that.”

“So..” Joe bounced on his toes, “are we going to flip for who gets drunk.”

You stand up and get two shot glasses from the cabinet plus a knife to cut the lime. “No. Let’s do this.” You get the salt of the table, lick Joe’s hand so the salt sticks, and place a slice of lime between his lips. When you are biting the lime out of Joe’s mouth after doing the shot, it turns into a mini make out session. Joe then does two shots. He puts the salt on your cleavage the first shot and for the second one he licks it off your neck.

Joe finishes sucking on the lime after his second shot, “I have no tolerance. Maybe I should slow down.”

You grab the bottle to take a long swig. You tease him, “light weight.” You don’t really have a tolerance either. This may go downhill quickly.

Joe’s jaw drops. “Is this where I learn you have a sorted dark rockstar history?”

You laugh, “yes. There are so many straight men that attend my concerts. I always pick a handful to have a drunken, drug fueled orgy with after every show.”

Joe laughs, “sounds hot and very realistic.”

You shrug, “I have been offered drugs a lot.”

Joe is surprised, “really?”

You move to sit down at the counter. He follows you. You pour Joe and you each another shot. “Yeah. They are just kind of there at after parties and stuff like that.”

“So there was just crack sitting out on the tables?”

You giggle and take your shot. “No! It was classy parties. There was cocaine out on the tables.”

Joe looks incredulous, “HAVE YOU DONE COCAINE?”

“No.” You nudge Joe’s shot he still hasn’t done closer to him. “I have smoked weed with Snoop Dogg though.”

Joe looks even more shocked now, “WHAT?” Joe winces when he takes his shot.

You refill both shot glasses. “He asked me after the Grammy’s a few years ago. I wasn’t going to say no.”

Joe nods, “that’s the right call. Geez, that’s insane. I kind of forget you’re famous and know people like that. How was it?”

“Chill. We are snacks. He tried to teach me to rap.”

Joe laughs so hard he cries a little, “were you any good?”

His laughter makes you laugh. Joe pours you both another shot. You stop laughing enough to take the shot and answer, “I definitely wasn’t that night.” 

Joe laughs some more. He tells you about how he smoked some weed in highschool and college. You try and get him to show you pictures from when he was in high school. He refuses the first couple times, insisting his hair was too terrible. After about an hour, he’s intoxicated enough that he agrees. He has his old yearbook upstairs in his closet. 

You sit cross-legged on the floor next to Joe while he looks through a box for his yearbook. The almost empty bottle of tequila is on your other side. Joe hands you a few things from the box to hold so he can search the box better. He hands you a giant calculator, a combination lock, and then a small velvet ring box. You didn’t think much of it until Joe looks back at you panicked.

“Oh! Can I have that back? Now.”

You move it out of his reach, “why?”

“You shouldn’t look at it right now.”

You start to open the box. Joe screeches and lunges forward so he’s on top of you and you’re both now laying on the closet floor. 

“You can’t open it right now.”

You wrap your legs around his, “why not?”

Joe caresses your face, “I’m not in the state of mind to do this properly. And Joey wants to be there. We have a plan. Hold on.” Joe gets the phone from his pocket. You notice he’s pulling up Nicole’s contact.

“No!” You try to grab the phone from him. 

“I’m just going to put him on speaker while I show you the ring.”

You try again to take the phone from him, “No. Don’t drunk dial Joey. Just don’t show me.”

Joe rolls off you and sits up. “Since you know where I’m hiding it. I’m going to take another shot.”

You interrupt, “great choice.”

Joe laughs, “then hide the ring now. Then when you find it, I’ll propose.”

You laughing so hard there isn’t any actual noise coming out. “That’s a terrible idea.”

Joe’s shoulders drop. “You’re probably right.”

You sit up, take a sip from the bottle and hand it to Joe, “drink up. Hide the ring.”

The next morning comes far too early. You wake up but your head hurts too much to open your eyes. You hear Joe groan next to you. Your eyes burst open when a fuzzy memory hits you from the night before.

You reach over and tap Joe’s shoulder, “did we get engaged last night?”

Joe sits up quickly. “Fuck! I hid your ring.”

You laugh then stop because it hurts your head too much. “Oh yeah.”

Joe looks down at you, “I don’t remember where.” You pat his hand. “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”

You close your eyes. “You’ve been too well behaved.”

Joe rubs his face, “I hid the most expensive thing I’ve ever bought.”

You sit up and rest your head on his shoulder, “I’d take anything, or even nothing from you. You can just ask me whenever you’re ready.”

Joe hums, “too late for that. Also, I wouldn’t get you nothing.”

“Do you want me to help you find it?”

Joe puts his hand on your leg, “If you find it, are you going to look at it?”

“I’m not making any promises.”

Joe laughs then whines a little. He head hurts too. You both should have drank some water last night. “I appreciate your honesty. Let’s just go back to bed until it’s time to pick Joey up.” You both lay back down. Joe sets an alarm then pulls you against him to sleep some more.

++++++++

You just got home from running some errands. You enter the house. It seems suspiciously quiet since you know both Joe and Joey and are home. You walk further into the house. You see Joey sitting on the piano bench facing the wrong direction. Joe is standing next to him. They both have huge smiles on their faces. You put down your bags on the kitchen counter and walk over to them. Joey pats his hand on the bench next to him.

Joe’s eyes look glassy. “I thought about doing this a year from when you played piano with him the first time. I didn’t want to wait any longer. So I’m going with a year from when we met. I thought you might be a good match for me from our first short conversations, how easy they were, and the chemistry we seemed to have since that day. Here, actually about here,” Joe moves you a little to the right on the bench. “Is where I first thought you could be a good match for both of us.” Joe looks over at Joey and gives him a quick nod.

Joey leans against you, “I liked when you talked to me like a friend and we ate cheese.”

Joe pulls the blue velvet box you slightly remember from a few weeks ago out of his pocket and gets down on one knee. “We went through hell and back. I think it made us stronger for whatever difficulties lie ahead.”

Joey giggles, “you said a bad word.”

Joe and you both laugh. You wipe tears from Joe’s cheek and then your own.

Joe smiles, “I want to face whatever comes our way with you.”

Joey chimes in, “me too.”

Joe opened the box, “will you marry me?”

You looked over at Joey. He was holding his hands up to his mouth in anticipation. You couldn’t hold back the giant smile on your face if you tried.

“Nothing could make me happier. Yes!”

Joey cheered.

You laughed. Joe pushed up from his knee to kiss you.

++++++++++

You can’t settle your nerves. You have felt antsy all day. You looked over at Joe and Joey in the seats next to you in the auditorium. 

You smile at Joe, “I cannot handle how cute you both are right now.” You lean across Joe to talk to Joey, “You look great in your tux. Do you think you could wear it all the time?” You laugh when Joey rolls his eyes at you. You sit back in your chair.

Joe is looking into the row ahead of you towards the center. He whispers to you, “Do you know Beyonce?” You notice that’s who he’s looking at.

“I mean... I’ve met her multiple times.”

Joe looked at you, “are you friends? You hugged her when we saw her before the show.”

You aren’t completely sure how to answer, “I dunno. I WANT to say yes, but I don’t know if I’m cool enough. I have her phone number. We text occasionally. Congratulate each other on stuff mostly. We don’t have long drawn out phone calls.”

“So friends enough to set up Joey with Blue Ivy?”

You laugh and turn to look at him better, “what?!”

Joe looks at Joey quickly to make sure he’s not paying attention, “he told me her dress was pretty.”

You think that is really sweet but tell Joe, “they are children. They don’t need to be in relationships.”

“I don’t mean NOW. Just get the ball in motion for when they are adults and if they are both attracted to people of the opposite gender.”

You pinch the bridge of your nose, “are you saying you want me to go up to Beyonce, BEYONCE, and ask if her daughter can date and or marry my son at some point in the future if they both swing that way as adults?”

Joe grins, “yes.”

You just start at him for a beat.

Joe laughs, “Am I distracting you from your nerves? The big category is up next.” Joe picks your hand up from your lap, kisses it, and holds it in his lap.

You huff, “you’re ridiculous.” You lean in to kiss him.

Joe squeezes your hand, “can I be friends with Jay-Z?”

You crack up, “we’ll be at the same after party. I’ll see what I can do.”

Presenters walk onto stage. You take a deep breath. You see Joey bouncing in his seat out of the corner of your eye. Joe just holds your hand tightly. You black out for a few seconds as they start reading all the nominees. You don’t hear the presenters say, “The Grammy for Album of the Year goes to Y/N Y/M/N for There You Were.” 

You come back to the present when you hear a jovily noise from Joey and feel Joe’s lips on your cheek. Someone behind you pats your shoulder. Joe holds your elbow and nudges you a little to get you to stand. You laugh a little in disbelief when you realize you’ve won. You stand and Joe pulls you in for a kiss. 

You stand on stage behind the mic still a little stunned. The countdown clock for your speech starts losing time. You blink and start your acceptance speech. 

“I want to thank my team and all the people that helped me record this album. I want to thank all the fans that listened to it and showed up at the concerts. I owe you so much. I need to thank the two men that were there for me through everything the last few years, my son and husband.” You notice that Joe is crying. Tears start forming in your eyes. “Thank you for coming out to see me on almost every tour date so far, for waiting for me while I recorded, and most importantly for giving me the life that inspired the album. I wouldn’t be up here or be as happy as I am without you two. I love you both.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
